Adrift
by Lovesies
Summary: Her life might have morphed itself into an endless grind of keeping secrets and bitter nothingness, but chances are, it will all change once she reveals a great power, long lost in the ocean. Slight spin-off, slight Edward x OC in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Affiliation

**Okay guys, like I said, this is an attempt to (somewhat) rewrite the crappy story I've started and didn't continue 'Crossroads', it just didn't make any sense to continue it because the plot was so messed up and many facts were wrong, so I just started anew.**

**A small warning: The chapters are long because I'm aiming for long chapters but less chapters, I think it's much better that way, so don't be frightened by the length of the chapters, it's simply 3 chapters in one, but I update less often ;p**

**I promise you guys to actually keep up with this one, my aim for this one is detail, length, and twists. But if you guys prefer shorter chapters, just tell me so.**

**Once again, I'm trying the best I could here, I practiced for so long, and as you can see, there's a whole lot of difference between this story and the other one, I'm currently working without a Beta Reader as well, so there's bound to be some mistakes I've overlooked, sorry about that in advance.**

**Assassin's creed belongs to Ubisoft, no copyright infringement intended, this is merely a shape of fanart.**

**Let's begin :)**

* * *

I opened my eyes to the fresh air of Havana finding its way into my nostrils, glad that I left the window open yesterday, so the salty-like breeze can make its entrance into my room and greet me softly.

The faint noise of the outside came to my ears next, and the soft whispers of the early risers, customers and girls alike, came as a silenced tone from behind my door, fading away every once in a while.

The sounds died down and left me staring at the high ceiling in a sudden daze, wanting to experience the luxury of staying in bed all day, but alas, I have lots and lots of things I need to attend to, just like yesterday... and the day before, and if I didn't die under the pressure, tomorrow.

I let out a soft sigh behind a set of chapped lips, silently propping myself up with my elbows, and eventually letting my feet touch the cold, wooden floor. I inched closer to the window which was giving off beams of faint sunray, the armchair I had chosen to place near the window engulfed by the warm hands of the sun.

I glanced outside, admiring the same old view I had gazed into for many days, when a soft knock on the white door of my room caught my attention.

"Come in.." I called out normally, hoping that my morning breath wasn't dreadful enough, or else I would drive away any chance of making money today, one way or another.

The door was opened with a click, and padded feet made their way into the room.

"Madam Angeline, could you arrange my hairstyle today? I'm getting tired of serving clients without wearing something exotic." The thin voice of a young woman asked.

I turned around, facing her with a lopsided smirk, an expression that I hated dearly, because it popped itself on my face whenever I tried to smile correctly, even for a moment.

"Sure thing, just tell me when you're ready" I answered her; she smiled in thanks at me, naturally, might I add, and made her way out of my room.

I am a Madam of one of the many brothels that dot Havana's landscape, seemingly blending into the numberless mundane buildings that stood innocently on the dusty ground. And quite frankly, I'm not entirely fond of my occupation, no... Not because it's notoriously known as one of the oldest professions you can find in history, obviously for a well known purpose of having to deal with... shall we say, taking care of men's _special needs_. But because it wasn't the thing I was meant to do at any given time, some women who can't find better chances at working in simple careers, like sugar cane farming, tend to mysteriously appear at my doorstep, begging for a place to work as something that doesn't require a lot from a female. But I, on the other hand, despised anything that had to do with selling my body, or anything else of that sort, to drunkards or sailors who can't have an affair of their own for both understandable and illogical reasons.

I was thrown into the lap of my aunt at a very young age, she was a Brothel's Bawd as well, at that time, she didn't tell me a lot about my real parents, and even though I wanted to care and look for answers, I just didn't want to involve myself in events that could have me going in circles, never finding anything that could prove worthy.

And when my dear aunt died, and was buried with whatever secrets she knows about my parents or my previous life as a daughter in a family, I took over the Brothel, continuing a legacy that honestly didn't stretch very far, but one I was compelled to continue, perhaps out of own morals, perhaps out of the need for some coin to fill my pocket with a metallic ring.

And what came alongside the Brothel, was a dreadful thing indeed.

Through the power I held, having a place where most men collide with at least _once_ in their lives. I knew most nobles that often visit Havana for whatever reason. For example, I knew the Governor, Laureano Torres.

At first, he didn't actually come to my Brothel and solely ask for a doxy, but he did know my aunt and how the Brothel was eventually handed to me.

And, since most men who come by the Brothel are piss-drunk, I knew some of the most significant secrets around town, perhaps around all the West Indies. You'd be surprised at the secrets one could breathe out in a drunken daze. And to be fair, I never really let them out to the world; they eventually faded from my memory, or engraved in the back on my mind, but never getting out, because frankly, I didn't really care what anyone was up to, or who they are, I guess to each his own.

But what I'll always and forever remember, Governor Torres, the current governor of Cuba, and many other nobles and common men, are Templars. Once, I wasn't sure about the meaning of that title, the fresh news sounded like a mean but exciting one to my unfamiliar ears. It just took a few drinks for what I guessed would be their associate to go down, and then blab about everything he'd done in his life, killing men, having power… being a Templar, all that nonsense I just couldn't take seriously back then.

But eventually, I got a message on the wind that they knew I was acquainted with their secrets, knew of their abilities and their doings in this world, so I was summoned by none other than the Grand Master of the Templars _himself_, Governor Torres.

When I received news as dreadful as this, I didn't sleep for two days, and didn't eat anything more than a piece of fruit or two in the mornings, my girls almost begged me to consume anything that would give me power, but I was far too deep in worry to even care about my physical being. Being called by the governor himself isn't something that happened every day, I was both frightened and displeased that it would ruin my Brothel, the work of my lifetime, and the thing I promised my aunt to take care of, when she was just at her deathbed.

And so I went to meet him, as much bravery as it needed me to, as much will and determination I required to stay in Havana and face my death, I went to meet him.

And over a glass of wine, he explained that he did know of the information I acquired, and in the midst of my prayers, he presented me an offer…

Keep their secrets, and live forever unharmed by their _activities_.

And being similar to anyone wedged between such situations, I couldn't say no.

And so I lived my life ever since, not as a Templar, but as a keeper of secrets.

And frankly, it could have gotten much worse; I could be locked up in their jails, or killed and rotting underground. Perhaps if I ran away from Havana… for good, I would be serving as a prostitute under the wing of another Madam, or as a slave tending day and night to an endless field of sugar cane, for the lack of better occupations for someone nameless as myself.

And here I am, working each day like there's no actual end to it all, using the skills I acquired over the days observing my aunt applying mixtures on the women, to tend to the girls who wanted something done with their hair or face. Giving away the monthly wages was another activity that kept me occupied and sane, the times when I wanted to bash my head into the desk. In those days, I needed something to break the ongoing routine that madly taps into my mind, and sometimes, my body.

Perhaps the only thing that gave me a piece of mind is walking out of the Brothel and getting lost in the streets of Havana, not doing anything that required much mind work, just striding aimlessly through the dim, bustling roads, perhaps learning a thing or two from the guards, and how they held their weapons or drove away trouble.

After I left the painful train of thoughts aside, I washed my face and took a soft breath; then I dressed in a light colored Bodice and a matching skirt, and brushed the sleep out of my brunette locks, readying myself for another day of work.

I made my way to the corridor that separated my room and the guest rooms from... the _other _rooms, which had all these things happening in them each night, it's a bad thing that even a well situated room tucked away in the end of a long corridor, still won't block the sounds that were bound to be heard in whatever Brothel a person enters at night.

When I made my way down the staircase, I found most of the girls laid about on the lacy couches of the Brothel; some remained standing up, chatting gently about the previous night.

I took a chair next to the fruit bowl, and began munching on a green apple that appeased me with its sugary juices.

"Madam Ange! Good morning!" Alice, a beautiful and well-known young woman, which also happens to be overly excited about everything, greeted me from my right.

"Mornin', how are you, Alice?" I mumbled an answer tiredly.

"Excellent, I had a good night's sleep" She said happily as she sat on the chair next to me, I could see the dreamy look in her eyes as she gawped innocently at me.

"Oh, I wonder why.." I winked at her as I took another bite from the apple, nearly getting lost in its taste.

"Well..." She drawled, biting her lip and silently staring into space, as if she was remembering the events of the nighttime. "You won't believe the customer I got last night! You wouldn't believe the size of him!" She announced excitedly, albeit low-voiced, like she didn't want the other girls to mistake her exhilaration for being mad.

I snorted, raising an eyebrow, which seemed a little over judgmental, at her. "Define _size..." _I stated mockingly, she stared at me for a long while, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and then she suddenly burst into a fit of laughter that had the other girls gawking at her and shaking their heads.

"I can't believe you!" She whispered after recovering from laughing her throat out.

"Psh, I can't believe me either" I finished the apple and placed it aside, shooting her a final glance, and getting up, I started roaming around the Brothel aimlessly, just checking on the girls and taking the pay from some men that plan to come by today.

Later, I was leaning on the door frame in the midst of my boring routine, when one of my girls ran at me from a road on the left, holding her skirt up as it swished around her small frame.

When she finally reached the Brothel's entrance, she couldn't even speak, it took her about two minutes to finally regulate her breath and release semi-logical words.

"What happened? Tell me!" I gently nudged her again, trying to get any information about whatever event she clearly took part in.

"I... he... the man! The one that came yesterday, he asked... for one night, but he told me he'd pay later... but he never did, I just asked him!" She moaned desperately, her breath failing her at every word she tried to voice.

"Where is he?" I said calmly, the many days I spent viewing how the guards stood and held themselves, and how the pirates that visit the city from time to time ran and attacked, proved worthy more than once in my lifetime, it wasn't uncommon that I had sexual assaults on me or one of my girls, the ones that tried to seduce them into a free night, or the ones that tried to have their way with me, for the simple reason of being the owner of a relatively known brothel in Havana.

I didn't know much, in fact, I didn't know anything at all, it probably takes a lifetime to be able to perfect the moves, the attacks, and the ways to escape. Actually, it might take the double of that to even convince yourself of practicing the arts of battle, which normally wasn't the main thing a woman would choose. But on the other hand, I could deliver a punch to the jaw like any human being could, perhaps breaking my fingers in the process, but laying a good amount of damage to the same jaw nonetheless.

"He's in the inn, he.. He had black hair and a stubble, and wore brown ... I tried to reason with him, but... but he kept telling me to leave." She breathed, her voice slowly returning to her.

"Stay here" I commanded as I moved away from the door frame, making my way to the building that wasn't that far from here, the steps I took gradually became slower, perhaps because my body feared the bruises I might get from this fool's errand. My over-confidence and overprotective nature crushed the common sense that lurked deep inside me, because if I had the tinniest bit of it then, I would have turned my back and walked back to safety, but my legs kept going, eventually carrying me to the stairs that led to the already-lively inn.

And he was the only one that matched the description, sitting at a table, a whore already on his lap, as an uncorked bottle sat in front of him. And it was early enough to scowl at the thought of drinking at that hour, but maybe it would give me a better chance to pass the information without killing myself.

I pulled out the empty chair on the other side of the small, round table, and plopped down, staring at him with a random smirk appearing at my face.

He looked away from the woman that was situated on his lap, to land his eyesight on me, looking me up and down then speaking groggily.

"I ain't lookin' for a Trollop right now, why don't ya leave me with this lady ova' here.." He moved his attention back to the woman, and I felt my lips stretch into a thin line.

"Nobody calls me A Trollop! You hear me? No one!" And before I knew it, I was latching my fingers around his dirty collar and shouting words into his face, tipping the table towards him from my sudden attack.

"Listen you idiot! Don't you know who I am? If you do, then you keep your mouth shut, I'm not a Trollop, I give away Trollops, and that is the exact reason why I came here to you today!" He stared at me, wide eyed and over-infused with the fume of alcohol, which I wasn't able to ignore even in the heart of my lecture.

"You had a night with one of my girls yesterday, but you never paid up, got any explanation? Of course you don't! Now pay up!" I shook him by the collar with every word, not giving a damn to the many eyes that might be stuck to my back, or that the innkeeper might call the guards when he spots my outburst.

"And if I don't want to?" He dared me, staring at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Then I'll make your life a hell" I half-lied, in truth, I could hold many strings around town by the power I have, because of owning a place where man's greatest pleasures lurk, or maybe because I was faintly associated with Templars, but I still wasn't the King, or anything like that either, so I had to depend on false threats to get things the way I want them to be.

"Alright alright, you got your coin, lemme go now." He breathed into my face, and I cringed away from the alcoholic aroma that surrounded his breath.

I let go of his shirt, pushing him back and noticing the woman was still sitting on his lap, unfazed with what happened, but many inn-goers stared at me like I had four heads, one even nudged the person next to him and pointed at me while he whispered inaudible things to him, which they both laughed about.

"Here ya go, don't spend it all like I do: Rum and women." He winked at me while he flung a bag of coin my way; I caught the bag on time and marched away from him, wrinkling my face in disgust at his feeble attempts at seducing.

I made my way back to the Brothel, entering to find my girl sulking on the couch far into the room, she stood up when she saw me, and we walked towards each other and stopped in the middle.

"So, what happened?" She asked eagerly, glancing at my hand which held a leather bag, the coins inside it making it give off a whisper of clinks.

"I... convinced him" I stated as I passed the bag to her. "You deserve it better; he should apologize to you anyway, so here is his apology." I offered, she stared down at the plump bag, and her face slowly stretched into a smile.

"Thanks..."

"No problem" I retorted as I heard some giggles and chit-chat coming from outside the building, maybe that's why I noticed not many of the girls were around as our exchange happened.

"What's happening out there?" I asked her when another set of frantic conversations reached my ear, only drooping when a deeper, singular voice spoke calmly.

"Don't know..." She shook her head but kept her eyes on the door, I shrugged and began making my way to the dressing room, and perhaps I'll have enough time to do Victoria's hair before the night embraces the city.

But just as I reached the doorway leading there, a voice interrupted my steps.

"Excuse me? Are you the Bawd here? I'd like to hire four of your women." A sure, English accented, cool voice spoke from behind me, I turned around, and I was met by the gaze of an average heighted man with a strange tone of sandy blonde hair and what looked like blue eyes.

The first thing I wanted was to meddle into his request, but it proved hard to do when I was lost in the odd combination of natural colors he brandished, it went along nicely, with the unusual outfit of blue he wore, and a red sash circled his waist, and many leather fastenings surrounded his arms and chest. If I wasn't mistaken, it was the outfit of an Assassin, I didn't know much about them, but I've read some books the Templars gave me, it mentioned them once or twice.

"Four? Why would you-" I was still secretly gawking at him, unlocking the unique secrets of his well-made outfit, which looks lightly weathered by some agents, probably a mix between dirt and sea water. So I didn't pay much heed to the way he interrupted me.

"Don't ask, I just need them, would you let me hire them or do I have to look for another Brothel?" He requested coolly, and I was left to blink at couple of times to comprehend what he was saying.

"Oh, sure, you can have them, as long as you pay its all okay." I shook my head and held my hands up.

"Is that your motto? That's pleasant." He stated and watched me raise an eyebrow, eventually dropping it and getting out of the Brothel, immediately grabbing the women's attention, my exit them pried away from idly chit-chatting to listening to whatever I have to say.

"Girls? Who would like to go with Mr...? Umm.."

"Walpole, Duncan Walpole" He spoke from behind me, making the stares travel from me to him.

"Right, who would like to go with Mr. Walpole?" My sight was assaulted with the arms that went up, perhaps a bit shyly but at the same time, over-enthusiastically.

"Okay..." I drawled, slitting my eyes and pointing randomly at the girls, one which, by chance, turned to be Alice.

"You, you... You and you, there you go." I turned to the man that stood on my right, waving him to the girls that readied themselves upon my gesture, and silently noting that his eyes had a richer color than I had expected them to be, from an up-close view.

"Return them before afternoon; they have some work to do." I told him as I tried to wield a polite and professional smile, unlike the smirky mess I usually get.

"We'll see what happens" He simply stated at me, then moved in-between the girls I chose, whispering what sounded like a command, and they followed him as he walked.

I was left to stare at his back well-hidden by the group of women surrounding him, I wanted to further discover what he was up to, but I shook my head and walked back into the dressing room, making it a pure goal to ignore whatever just happened, lest I'd find my legs leading me to figure out his intentions.

* * *

"Victoria!" I called out unexpectedly, my fingers fiddling with the materials I have always used for fixing up hair, silently remembering the days where my aunt taught me the art of the trade, over a cup of steaming tea.

"Yes? I'm right here" She eventually made her way into the dressing room, her entrance producing a unique scent of jasmine the women in my Brothel were well-known of. When she noticed the wide array of combs and mixtures fixed about on the marble dressing table, she inched closer to the chair that secured itself in front of it, and sat in it, not saying a word.

"Can we begin?" I asked nonchalantly, and I felt her give me a sideway glance, like I forbade her from having something she wanted.

"Is it about him?" I questioned her in a faint murmur, pouting because it wasn't the only thing that could bother a common fancy woman in these days.

"Yes of course it's about him! What do you think it's about?" She snapped suddenly, and I busied myself with a rose smelling blend I've learned to use to give a beautiful sheen to hair.

"Well, sorry, I didn't know you wanted to go." I apologized non-heartily, not knowing why he had such a strong influence over my women.

"Are you joking? He clearly went for some errand that could probably fetch me a lot of coin!" I eyed her with uncertainty, and she surely noticed after shying away and looking at he her feet.

"Surely this isn't the only reason…" I continued, not finding another method to get out of this unneeded discussion.

"Have you seen how he looks like?" She openly stated, staring at her reflection in the impure mirror that had its share of mixtures accidently smearing over it. "His type is rare, I wonder if he's from around here…" She noted distantly, her gaze transporting her to a dream-like state.

"Whatever, he's a man" I responded meekly, not willing to make it too much of a prominent idea that I thought the same as her.

"Yeah, but I wonder if he's good at bed." And there we go; a bit more without this statement and I'd think that this Victoria wasn't the real Victoria.

"Hmm…" I hummed in retort, as I mixed the lovely-smelling concoction with a wooden spoon.

"I wonder what he's up to; he seemed in quite a hurry when he left." She asked the air as I rolled my eyes in disinterest.

"I'm not sure I want to know, you can ask Alice and the others when they come back here, but it's not a good thing to meddle in somebody else's business, especially a customer." I softy half-harangued her, following a strict rule that my Brothel brandished for so long.

"Yeah, yeah, sure…" She dismissed me as she closed her eyes and laid her head on the back of the wooden chair.

I was left in silence to apply a dollop of the sweet-smelling mixture on her fine-looking black hair, washing it off, then decorating her hair into a way that might get a lot of men reeling up for her tonight.

"Alright, done." I signaled audibly to her, putting the silver plaited comb aside.

She opened her hazel eyes and slowly looked herself over in the mirror, giving off a satisfied nod; she thanked me with a smile and then walked out to the main room.

It took a short while of serene silence to tidy up everything and going out to the main room myself, sitting on an armchair near the window as I picked up a good book and some tea.

The book was interesting, but the daunting tasks of the day won over me and drove me closer to a well-earned nap, I resisted in a frail attempt to keep myself awake, ready for a lot more work after my short break, but it ostensibly failed when I fell into a slumber.

* * *

"Ange? Wake up!" A delicate and acquainted voice softly tugged me out of my sleep; I opened my dry eyes to find Alice still trying to nudge me awake, I let my hand flail erratically to signal my wakeful state.

"Jeysus, Alice, calm down…" I voiced out grumpily, still trying to shake out the sleep from my body.

"Don't you want to hear what happened?!" She called enthusiastically, I half-opened my eyes and waited for her to proclaim whatever she wanted to.

"He took us out into the city, and told us to surround him and try to avert any gaze sent towards him. We complied for a while, but then he told us to wait for him near the town square. And simply ran off into a path without saying a word." She explained, her eyes painting holes in mine as she stared down at me in wonder.

She's talking about him… but I still didn't understand what he was up to, her vague description of the event wasn't that much helpful for any especially projecting knowledge.

"Uh huh, was that all?" I asked curiously, and her ivory colored skin went red at the cheeks, which I found to be bizarre, considering that her skin was the same as mine, getting burned each and every day by the harsh tropical sun of Havana, but still managing to keep the same color, perhaps a shade darker.

"Well, we did go to the town square, there was a great crowd there, but we waited and waited, and eventually we found him walking carefully towards us, gesturing a tiny wave to the spot next to him, and we did understand what he wanted." She continued, her peculiar way of telling stories carrying me through the proceedings of the event she had just witnessed.

"And he asked us to do the same, so we did, we surrounded him as he paid a great heed to what looked like guards in front of him, they kept talking about something, but I couldn't hear them. When their conversation died down, one of the guards walked away, he immediately reacted by following him." There she took a pause, trying to catch her breath from rambling too much.

"Well, he stopped in front of a line of guards, and he whispered a command to us, the command was to distract the guards in any way we can, he gave me a final word that widened my eyes for a reason I couldn't understand, and waited for us to do what he asked for."

I stared meekly at her, not willing to interrupt her because it proved much more interesting to know what that man, Duncan, had in mind.

"We did distract them in our own way, and when we were done, I managed to find him… well, gone." She finished, taking a long breath and looking at me, a slight concern layering her eyes.

"I wanted to know more, I just couldn't… and the final words he said to me, uhh, well… he wanted to revisit the Brothel for… um" She stammered, her voice going weak as she bit on her nail.

"For…?" I urged her to continue.

"Me! Alright? He winked at me and told me he'd pay me a visit for… well, some fun" She said shyly, the shade of crimson at her cheeks getting darker, it was rare to see a doxy so embarrassed to announce having a customer over for the night, especially because it would pay her good… they always pay good.

"Well, congratulations?" I mouthed with uncertainty, I wasn't sure what to tell her, perhaps I was a procurer, but that didn't mean I knew too much about sex, or lust, let alone what men desire in bed.

But then I painfully remembered the conflict that could happen between Alice and Victoria, if she knew that she'd be spending the night with a man she seemingly wanted. I sighed shortly, hoping that the night won't take a turn for the worst.

I got up after I gave her a nod and walked to the kitchen, meal times here were often disheveled and random, one moment we'd be eating mutton on breakfast, the other… each one of us took turns to finish a pie on crisp evenings, in the Brothel's garden, where you could hear the active stir of the city all around you.

Sometimes, each one of us made our own meals of cheese and bread, or perhaps we all munched on a selection of fruits I always keep at hand, just in case I had a noble come by the Brothel for services.

This time, I wanted to make a Veal and Cream almond soup, not caring to produce something out of the ordinary for today, even though a lot has happened already, the day proving itself as one that doesn't happen so often.

I got the kitchen tools out and laid them on the wooden table, I walked back to the main room and took a basket, tying a Fichu about my neck and getting out to the warm sun. I made my way to the market and walked around, finding my favorite stall sitting mundanely with some people around it.

"Good afternoon, David, would I find some Veal and Cream in your stall today?"

"Lady Angelina! Welcome, welcome! Yes, but of course, I had the suppliers come by a while ago." He greeted me, a friendly smile appearing at his lips.

While I waited for my order by the food stall, my gaze went to a shop on my left which I've always seen but didn't dare buy something from, a jewelry shop that sold all kinds of beautiful necklaces and bracelets. Relatively, I wasn't an underprivileged woman; I had a good wage coming up from my Brothel, not to mention the money my aunt left me, which could set me up for life, without the unnecessary task of running my very business.

But still, if I buy one necklace for about 500 Reales, the spending plan for this month would be completely ruined; I had the monthly wage for the girls pressing on it already, not to mention the exhausting amount of Reales that I spend on their clothes, food, and beauty materials.

And because of that, I never paid any heed to that shop in particular, and averted my gaze whenever it tried to go there.

But this day, and maybe this day alone, I decided to take a chance and afford the luxury not many people had these days.

"Hey David, can you excuse me for a short while?" I exempted myself from the long wait as my gaze began viewing the exterior of the shop from afar.

"Sure thing, I'll be here, obviously." He answered as he went back to cutting the Veal into small portions.

I rushed to where the shop was situated, and when I entered and inched closer to the counter, my eyes were immediately met with an outstanding display of beautifully-crafted jewelry, there weren't any customers awaiting their turn, so I took my time in guiding my gaze thoroughly through the well-made goods.

So many choices… the plump leather money bag I was holding in my left hand was surely petrified whenever my eyes landed on a piece. And alongside the gaze of the guard that was always standing inside that shop, probably protecting it from any thief that may lunge for the expensive merchandize, I realized that I had to make a choice, or else he would mistake me for a robber planning my raid by viewing what was available to steal. Maybe I was a bit over-paranoid, but better be safe than sorry, right?

And even if the guard didn't really care, the merchant would probably scoff at my shortage of coin in my pocket.

And that's when my eyes found it, a breathtaking silver necklace with an opaque Dark Emerald nestled in the end of it, a set of plaited silver surrounding it.

"Wow, this one…" The shopkeeper reacted and handed me the piece to view, it was amazing, and I just had to buy it.

"Umm, how much for this one?" I hesitated, beginning to feel anxious to whatever number I'm going to hear next, and how many zeros the shopkeeper would like to put after it.

"For you, two thousand Reales, it's imported" I gasped thinly at the digit, and stared hard at the necklace in my hand.

I've always kept about 3500 Reales in my bag wherever I went, I guess I knew I can't do anything right, and if I had to be locked up for some reason (probably Templars) or shipped off to start anew for whatever event I cause, I would have enough coin to bribe my captors, or to at least buy myself some bread.

But still, spending the wage of about a month and a half isn't that easy, but the necklace awaited my decision patiently in my grasp.

"Well Madam, do you want it or not?" The merchant inquired with a Spanish-like accent.

"Well…" I bit my lip in thought, if I grow tired of having it around my neck every day, which is what I was going to do anyway to keep it from getting stolen, I could just give it to someone, and perhaps have them wrapped around my finger in thanks.

"Fine, I'll take it." The merchant smiled when I gave away my decision, and I passed him the delicate item to wrap as I reached for my money bag, getting out a hefty sum of 2000 Reales, I handed him the coins in a bit of a bother.

"Pleasure doing business with you." He spoke again, handing me the wrapped article, and I nodded twice and made my way out of the shop before my eyes sensed another item I would be forced to buy.

* * *

"Okay, now put a dollop of that inside the pot…" I instructed Jane softly, she was a girl working in my Brothel as whatever a woman was supposed to work as here, and quite surprisingly, she wanted to help with the cooking.

Alice just walked in circles around the main room for the 100th time today, I'm not sure why she was so terrified from the event that might take place today, I tried to calm her down and told her he'd be like any other customer that requires _special_ services from her, but she attempted to convince me that this man was like no other, I'm guessing she meant that not many customers that look as handsome as this come over for a Trollop, most people we get are drunk men and sailors, perhaps the occasional nobleman that wants to escape the reality of marriage. But anything else, it was somewhat uncommon.

Perhaps she was just secretly refusing the idea of sleeping with a man that confused her with his actions, and how he let the girls he hired divert the guards from approaching him. But on any case, if I were her, I wouldn't make it that much of a deal, considering Alice had way too many customers asking for a night, sometimes I had to give her away for the nightfall to the man who is willing to spend more coin than what his rivals have come up with.

And after Jane and I finished fixing dinner, we all sat down to enjoy a real meal since a very long time, after all, we all have different opinions about food and when to serve it, so we usually skip group mealtimes.

And even on the table, I whispered some more words of encouragement to Alice, as she sat next to me and chewed gently on a piece of bread, which she didn't really reject to hear, but appeared to be hugely unaffected by them.

I cleaned up the table after the short meal and went out to place some lit candles in the front garden, innocently signaling the opening time of our business, which wasn't all that innocent.

And just as I was picking up some flowers that I planted some months ago, itching to try my hand at making a bouquet, to perhaps find another profession I could indulge into, should the Brothel be taken out of my hands for whatever reason I fear, I heard the commotion.

"Look, he chose me! That's your problem!" A soft voice cried out, and I faintly heard it when I was just trimming the thorns of a rose that decided to keep living under the unforgiving sun of Havana.

"He only chose you because he had taken you with him! Along with three other whores that aren't as good as me!" Another voice yelled back, I realized from its tone that it belonged to one woman, and no other.

_Victoria._

I threw the flower aside on the rag beside me, next to the other flowers I cleaned and ran hastily indoors, walking into a scene which reeked with Drama, many of the inhabitances of my Brothel gathered in the main room and watched the two girls fight, over what probably was Duncan.

Of course, didn't I feel coming at any moment throughout the day?

"Girls, girls! Stop, you both are disturbing the exquisite atmosphere that people come over her for, you two are friends, are you joking?!" I shouted, getting in between of them and prying them apart.

"You… don't you dare interfere with this! You caused this, If you had chosen me instead of... her! This wouldn't have happened!" Victoria Roared in my face, tears nearly forming in her eyes.

"Quit it! I own this place and I can do whatever I desire." I really didn't want to threaten her with my position as her superior, because I felt like we were all a big family in this place, especially because I grew up with many females here that were once young women barely out of their teens, looking for an easy profession to support their families. But it was just too ridiculous, two doxies fighting over a man? The scary thing is, it never really happened before, not here at least, not in the Brothel where most inhabitances of Havana knows it as a quality one.

"Look, I know that you won't understand, but I've always slept with foul men that mean nothing to female eyes. So it's always about her, isn't it? She gets everyone that is either rich or handsome, and I get men that just want to put their parts in something—"

"He's just a customer, Victoria, remember that." Her words might have some truth hidden in them, many of the men that came over for Victoria were very gruff and just wanted sex, and some were even bold enough to request a quickie for a lesser price. While on the other hand, Alice was renowned for her beauty, and many men chased after her, grateful because it just needed a heavy bag of coins to sleep beside her.

"Hey… What's happened in here?" A charmingly smooth voice that belonged to a familiar man came off nearby.

And needless to say, it was Walpole, leaning on the doorframe with his arms folded, he might have noticed the candles that were displayed outside, which with their presentation, the peak of business crammed my ledger all at once, every man lonely for the night wanting to change that fact.

I heard a gasp escape out of Victoria's lips, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see the smile that drew itself on Alice's features.

"Nothing, are you here for your reservation?" I spoke professionally, which caused Victoria to shoot a death glare at me, a glare I ignored as much difficult it was to do so.

"Sure, but what were you girls arguing about?" He scowled with a smirk, great, my girls found a man with a fetish for women fighting each other.

"You heard that? Damn…" I cursed under my breath, shooting Victoria a sideway glare that drowned in utter rebuke.

"Well, that's alright—"

"Please tell me you haven't heard what it was about." I begged him, even though I knew how much possible it would be that the whole town heard us.

"Well…." He drawled, his smirk getting deeper.

"Shite…" I cursed more loudly this time, slapping a hand on my lips to block the improper word from escaping again.

He snorted at that, and moved away from the wall, walking inside the warmed atmosphere of the Brothel, the scents of Jasmine and women roaming about it.

"Well how about this? I'll take both girls and I'll pay you double the fee, is that alright?" He offered coolly, and I was left to gape at him with a lick of disbelief. I felt the air of Alice's gasp reach my neck, and Victoria went completely slack-jawed.

We might be a well-known Brothel that went on for a long time, nearly 30 years and still standing proudly, providing pleasure and company to those with money but not the means to have an affair, but we never really received such request… okay, we did, even if very rarely, but they never offered to give double the price, they always required it to be the price of one.

"Well, if you put it that way…" I started, disbelief still hidden in the back of my mind as I spoke with a leader's confidence. "…Then fine, I'll give you my most spacious room."

"Very well, when..?"

"Whenever you want…"

"…How about now?" He inquired with a smirk, taking off the hood he was wearing that I failed to notice when he walked in.

"Okay…" I drawled, walking up the staircase and turning to the left, the corridor leading to the 'special' guest rooms looking back at me.

"Just one moment!" I called out to the man that was on the lower floor, my fingers curling over the wooden railings for mere moments, and I ran off to check if the room was alright.

I opened the last door that had a special scent of Lavender coming out of it, greeting you before you even attempt to enter the room that lay behind it. And it was like I left it last time, clean and tidy.

I don't really offer the best room for any customer at all, noblemen are the most individuals who stay there, but this man right there… he deserved a night in it for the sum he's willing to pay.

I got back to the main room, leading him towards the corridor silently, as he pressed his hands to the waists of Alice and Victoria, pulling them alongside him, I reached the door after a short while of noiseless walking, I handed him the key to the grand room.

"Enjoy your time." I offered as I made my way back to the main room, not willing to take another glance behind my shoulder to see what will happen next.

* * *

Midnight came as fast as it ever did afterwards, I signed the last names who asked for this night's company, some even asking by name for my most well-known women, but after that, at what was about three after midnight, as I guessed from the dusk that clouded the moonlit skies, I decided to retire to my bed chamber.

Blowing the candles out, I made a silent note to myself to take care of the flowers I collected later on, I was exhausted for a reason that made me a bit wary, because I had taken a nap and slept through a good portion in the morning, but I continued my way there, taking off the skirt and Bodice I wore for the day, and the Fichu I forgot to untie after coming back from my crazy jewelry hunt.

But alas, I wasn't meant to experience a good night's sleep in a night when I was the most fatigued.

"Oh… yes! Keep doing that!" The muffled voice of a woman snuck past the thin walls that separated my room from the… other rooms. I neglected the noise as I've always done when it was heard, I was a single woman in a Brothel for sanity's sake, what do I expect?

But then another softly toned voice cried out again, "Oh Duncan! That feels amazing.." My eyes snapped open at the name; it was a surprise to see both girls having a good time with a man, while they were arguing enormously moments ago.

And they kept on, and on, and on, till the early moments of the dawn, where the sun started shinning in a red hue, reading itself for a hot, scorching day in Havana.

And I didn't have the slightest bit of shut-eye that night, even when I nearly suffocated myself by covering my face with the bed covers, hoping it would somehow block some of the racket.

I was making myself some tea as I lazily reached for a cup inside the china cabinet in the kitchen, when I detected Duncan leaving through our front entrance, a tired smirk playing on his face.

I would've played naughty and asked him about his night, just like I sometimes did with customers that were more than the common rabble, but I pushed that thought aside, rolling my eyes and getting back to preparing a much-needed cup of warm tea.

That's when one of my girls, Rebecca, one with brown hair close to mine, made her entrance into the kitchen.

"Morning" I said simply, shooting her a glance and pouring the tea in my cup.

"Hello there, did you sleep good last night?" She asked me with a heavy English accent, she lived most of her life in England until she had to move elsewhere, her first thoughts were Kingston, but when her ship stopped over at Havana instead, and when she walked through the city, awaiting her real destination, she stumbled upon my Brothel.

And, well… the rest is probably pretty clear.

But no matter how many times I had tried to try to get to know anything about her past life, she just wouldn't tell, I'm not sure if she was like me, a girl with no info about her life outside of Havana, or just a girl who likes to keep personal things a secret, even to people who wouldn't really tell a soul.

"…Do I look that tired?" I stared at her, still pouring tea in the cup till it overflowed without me actually sensing that.

"Yes, I mean… look at what you're doing right now." She put a hand to the handle of the teapot, thus making me flinch in realization as I tipped it back up.

"Blame that on the three-way that happened yesterday." I barked in annoyance, making her snort at my sudden snap.

"You heard that too? That sounded tough…" She announced openly, grabbing a papaya from the bowl that safely lay over the counter.

"Well, if there's money in it, I'm okay with that." She snorted again, aiming a nod at me and walking out of the kitchen. I followed her shortly after I cleaned up the tea mess that just happened.

I plopped down on one of the couches that were strewn about the main room in an astute way, and I took a sip from the warm tea, feeling myself more alert by the second as I downed the liquid.

"So what do you hope to accomplish today?" Rebecca asked me from afar, getting up and walking towards my couch, taking a seat beside me and looking at me.

"What I've always accomplished, money." I said purely, getting bothered by the way I sipped my tea too quick and burned my lips as a result.

"Surely there's another thing you'd like to do?" In truth, I had many things on my mind that I had always wanted to do, but couldn't figure out the time to do them, maybe I had a few holes in my tight schedule that I filled with short walks or sunbathing in the garden, but I didn't have the time for anything else… more grand.

"No… well, perhaps, but… but I can't." I stammered, wanting to shake off the subject before it transformed into a tight turn that I couldn't inverse.

"If you sit around all day doing nothing but working, you're really going to cause something terrible to your body." She noted as she eyed me with a hint of worry.

I gave her an 'oh come on' look. Fixing my gaze back at the steaming cup of tea in my hands. "I've been doing it since I was… what? Fifteen? I'm okay, trust me."

"Wow, you're so jaded, if I were you I would've already collapsed if I faced that struggle any day." She indicated softly as she bit on the opened papaya, the juices of the plump fruit oozing out and falling to the couch, which I kind of stared at for some while in a silent sprinkle of infuriation.

I had to clean the Brothel on Mondays, because men were having the time of their lives with my girls in the weekend, thus exhausting most of them till about mid-week. Sometimes the women helped me clean up the relatively enormous place, but other times, they were all too busy in coming up with a better strategy to lure more customers, or just dancing about in the open as a kind of advertisement to their talents.

My job was a bit fun, I have to admit it is, meeting nobles and having my name engraved into their memories because of the time they had here that I provided. Not to mention meeting all sorts of people; drunken ones, sailors, merchants. I've always found it comical when a married merchant sheepishly wanted to reserve a girl for the night, and faltered through his words like a being walking through a ground covered with needles.

But I felt it was more tiring than any job would be, I mean surely I didn't have a fixed time to awaken, or to go to bed, or to write in the ledger as necessary, but it sure was demanding in terms of overall tasks.

But in all cases, I'd accept whatever complicity my job puts over me, simply for the sake of having food on the table every day. And perhaps because I made an oath years ago, to take over the Brothel, after my aunt.

"You get used to it.." I explained nonchalantly as I placed the now-empty cup on the coffee table in front of the soft couch, laying back into its cushions and nearly melting in it.

And at that very moment, I seriously considered going out for a short while, after all, I've been having an especially tiring day, and didn't even sleep through the night, clearly because of my decision to give both girls to Edward at once.

"Rebecca, can you hold the Brothel until I come back?" I requested gently, looking at the empty cup in front of me.

"Why? Where are you going?" She asked the same question I expected her to, and I nearly flinched from her interrogations, because frankly, even I didn't know where my trip will take me.

"Nowhere, just the market…" I answered, not knowing if I was lying or saying the truth.

"Umm, well… fine, as long as it means some fresh air for you, then I'll do it." She pondered for a while before agreeing.

"Thanks, I knew I could count on you." I expressed my thanks as I retrieved the gleaming key to the Brothel from inside my bosom, I usually kept it there because… well because no man would even consider looking there, I had this petrifying sense of reputation when it came to that, they couldn't just bed a Brothel's owner, and if the foolish ones tried, I would break my fist on their jaw. So… they never did look there. "If anything happens, you know where to find me, alright?" I instructed as I placed the key in between her slender fingers, hoping that I'd actually be in that location if anything pops up.

She nodded in awareness and I left my place at the couch, giving her a final glance and making my way to my room, I opened the closet and grabbed a simple red gown to wear for the day, noticing the many corsets I acquired from my Aunt's stunning wardrobe, I snatched one as well. I wasn't the type for wearing corsets…. they sure do give me some support when I needed an extra push, but it wasn't a daily thing for me to wear, sometimes I'd wear stays if I wasn't up for a corset, but I didn't have that much bosom anyway, which left me a bit dumbfounded, because my aunt was family, and she was _definitely_ not lacking.

After dressing up, I remembered to finally tie that necklace I randomly bought the other day, vowing to keep it on as much as possible. Before I went out, I double checked the knot that held my recently refilled money bag together, and with difficulty, I managed to place it within my bosom, behind the corset.

I walked closer to the edge of the docks, smelling a refreshing aroma of seawater.

Well… I have an explanation, I wandered around the shop for some time, but I soon grew tired and found my feet taking me towards the sea. And when my eyes met the glistening water, all the thoughts that swarmed around my head, most unwelcomed, eventually settled down and gave me a moment to enjoy the echo of the waves.

But then I chatter of two men diverted me from the only calming moment I had in a long time, from the spot I was standing in, I noticed two men exchanging short words, one was standing inside one of the many ships that were scattered across the sapphire sea of Havana, while the other was standing on the solid ground across of him. From afar, he looked mildly familiar, the bluish tint of his robes reminding me of something.

Now, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on them, but perhaps the way my head turned towards their chat, when it pulled me away from the embrace of silence, offered the means for me to hear a faint whisper.

"…Life can't be all pleasure and distraction, Duncan."

My eyes went wide for an unknown reason, wasn't he the same Duncan that found his way to my Brothel yesterday? Wasn't he the one that made me fail my plan of deep slumber? Wasn't he the one that drove my women insane and made a conflict rise, inside a place where conflict doesn't usually exist?

I found my legs carrying me towards the man in blue, perhaps it was my mind's desire to see if I got as mad as my women back at the Brothel, and started seeing his face in every turn.

Because honestly? I didn't really want to feel that way towards a man, especially a customer. Although I'm pretty sure I didn't feel anything towards him, unlike my girls; I just wanted to be on the safe side.

I reached the man just as he turned his back on me, going in erratic movements, just like something bothered him immensely.

"Hey Bonnet… Duncan is just a handle; Edward's the name, truthfully-" He admitted just as he turned around and met my gaze in a jolt, like the blood just escaped his face.

"Well well well, then you lied to me, didn't you?" Was the first thing I muttered, in truth, it didn't pose as such a dangerous doing, some men who came over for our services required a bit of… secrecy, after all, they weren't all single men sailing the seven seas.

"Well, no! I mean… perhaps, but I'm guessing that's alright, isn't it?" He tried to explain.

I shook my head and let my stare travel to the plump man on the deck of the ship, he gave me an awkward smile and a nod. "Stede Bonnet, at your service, milady." He greeted as he looked back at 'Edward'.

"And to you, it's a smart feat, secret name for a secret meeting, eh?" He pointed at Edward, smiling more wholly than he did to me.

"Oh! The governor, right, I think I've kept him waiting for me long enough." He announced and made a move to pull up his hood, turning his back away from me and getting out of the docks.

I folded my hands in sheer insult, I was just talking to him, and he simply pulled up his weird hood, another way of saying _don't talk to me if you want to live_, and merely continued his way into whatever meeting he was supposed to go to.

The governor though… hmmm.

"Where do you think you're going?" I called out the short distance he had walked, he paused for a while, and I heard what sounded like a sigh, or perhaps a tiny curse… I wasn't sure.

He turned around with an innocent smile, "I've got a meeting, if you'll excuse me…" He twisted his heels again and went more swiftly than he did before.

"Governor Laureano de Torres? Or another Governor?" I dared suddenly, forcing him to break his walk again.

"You know him?" He whipped around, eyeing me with his blue eyes, "Hmm, what am I saying? Everybody knows him." He said to himself as he looked away from the judgmental air around me.

"Yeah, but the difference is, I know him personally." I announced.

"…Do you now?" Edward asked me with uncertainty, his eyes reducing to slits.

"Surely, may I accompany you? Perhaps we could have a _little_ chat?" I applied pressure on the word 'little', because we had much to discuss, even though his meeting was basically not my business. However, he didn't really provide me the luxury of sleeping this morning, and I'm still feeling numb because of what happened yesterday between the girls, because of, well… him.

"I.. don't think that would be possible." He refused quietly, trying to find something in his view to provide him the means to escape my grasp.

"Oh please, Governor Torres is an old friend, surely he wouldn't mind if I paid him a visit." At least I hoped he wouldn't…

"Well.. I, uh.."

"Great!" I beamed, already reaching his side and tugging him towards the Governor's mansion.

* * *

Yep, it wasn't my business, just like I reminded myself before I went through this crazy trip.

But I think it's simply my body's way of telling me that I was extremely bored, maybe the sea proved more than a sufficient view to gaze upon while I intake some fresh air, but it was still nothing grand, I would stay for an extra minute or two, after I took a few lungful's of the salty-smelling breeze, and then I would just go back to the Brothel, for a day of endless work.

Maybe following him was just an excuse to get away from the daily rat race, as I wasn't sure I was ready for exhausting myself again, even though I had to make it up to the wage that I destroyed yesterday.

On the way, I didn't dare ask him about his top-secret meeting with the Governor, I couldn't risk giving away the fact that I knew everything of him and what they would be doing, I'll let that be uncovered naturally.

I just asked him about the night he had in the Brothel. I didn't ask him about the noise that awoke me in the midst of dawn directly, I just hinted to it with some innocent questions, like… 'Did you like the room?' Or… 'Did they serve you right?'. All I had gotten from him is a grunt in response to my first question, my second, though, had him smirking all the way to his ear, glancing towards me in smug gaze, one I immediately ignored and looked at the path ahead instead.

We eventually reached the grand villa, and stopped behind the fence that kept both criminals and guiltless, curious beings from entering. Edward stood near the guards in dark yellow and asked to gain entrance…

"Buenos dias.." Edward started, the Spanish rolling off his tongue as perfectly as his English, I was left to ponder about what he had just said, because I knew undeniably zero percent Spanish, I was surrounded by it, but I just didn't even try to learn it, I guess nobody encouraged me to in my young days, and I had way too many responsibilities on my chest to study it later in my life.

"Mr. Duncan Walpole of England to see the governor, I believe he's been waiting for me." He continued, the guard eyed him for a short time before speaking in the same language of Edward's first words.

"Si signore Walpole, entrar por favor." The man in yellow spoke up, granting his entrance. As he pulled back the gate to the mansion.

The guard eyed me with uncertainty, but his expression eventually softened, it was natural that I had the privilege to enter whenever I pleased, being an acquaintance of the Governor. It's simply possible that the guard was a new employee and didn't recognize me right away.

Edward entered noiselessly and I followed close behind, having a bit of difficulty keeping up with his long strides wearing the long gown, nearly stumbling even when I lifted my skirt with both of my hands.

He continued to a path that led to many small steps, I watched his back as a group of men began muttering in Spanish, I couldn't understand what they were saying, of course, but I assumed it would be about his arrival. I avoided their gaze and tried to climb the easy steps without face-planting onto the hot cobblestone.

As we began to near the end of the stairs, I heard the sound of gunshots, which instantly startled me.

"What's that?" I breathed, hoping that our coming here wasn't a trap or something alike.

"I'm not sure; maybe the guards are trying out their firearms." Edward answered calmly, as he made his way to the top of the steps.

I rushed beside him to the top, and noticed two men using guns to shoot something on the far left near the high fence, _quite_; they didn't look like guards, but they were indeed testing their firearms.

"Good morning sir, would I be correct in thinking you are Duncan Walpole?" A man wearing a brown leather jacket spoke to Edward, on a closer look, I perceived the man as Woodes Rogers, my aunt used to see him around here in dinner parties the Governor hosted, back when she was simply significant because she was known throughout Havana, unlike how I got my fame. I never conversed with him before really, even though he was a Templar, but my aunt always spoke highly of him as she wore her finest clothes and her favorite perfume when she prepared for the dinners.

I'm not sure what happened between them, but in all cases, Rogers is now a married man, as I've heard, and I've never seen him nearing the Brothel, not even before I gotten myself acknowledged as the new owner.

"I am indeed." Edward answered, and I secretly shot him a disapproving glance, one which he didn't even notice in the midst of his lie-show.

"I thought as much, a pleasure." Rogers continued, and then his gaze jumped to my physique standing in the back.

"Do I know you? You look tremendously familiar…" Rogers released Edward's hand that he was shaking and inched closer to me, I gave him a polite smile.

"Perhaps that's because my aunt and I look alike, you've met her right? Catherine Jacobs? I'm her niece, Angeline. I came here to greet the Governor." I clarified with the same smile.

"Um… I don't think I've heard those names before…" He faked poorly; I scrutinized his eyes for mere moments before speaking up again.

"Then the name of 'El Burdel Rosa' might ring a bell?" I asked knowingly, he gave me a grave look and widened his eyes, _works like a charm._

"I've never been to that dwelling before; do not mention it around here." He warned seriously, I stared at him again, but didn't mutter any words.

He did know it, he did go there, and he did proceed with our 'facilities', his eyes gave it away.

Furthermore, he did know of my identity and how significant I am to the Templars.

Not that it bothered me, but he was trying to lie to my very face.

Edward cleared his thought at our inaudible exchange; Rogers straightened his back and looked him over.

"You know, I must say my wife has a terrible eye for description…" He announced to Edward as he narrowed his eyes in focus.

"…I'm sorry?" He said nervously as he frantically searched for a way to escape his proclaim.

"My wife… You met her some years ago at the Percy's masquerade ball." Rogers continued as he moved closer to him.

"..Ah, quite." It seemed that everyone inside the fences of the mansion brandished a decent set of lies, I can't accuse Edward of never really meeting Roger's wife, but he lie about his name, what else couldn't he lie about?

"She called you devilishly handsome…." I snorted clandestinely from my position, it's like this man was a magnet for women. "…obviously a lie to stoke my jealousy!" He continued before he barked a laugh, clearly lifting a weight off Edward's chest.

He turned to a man still practicing with his firearm, to what I recently assumed would be straw-filled dolls. "Julian, a guest of owner has arrived, Mr. Duncan Walpole." He introduced Edward to the man that turned his head at his approach, leaving aside to fiddle with the pistols.

"Ah! Julian De Cas, I hope your conversion to our order is an honest one…. " _Order_… so Mr. Duncan Walpole wants to betray the Assassins to join their ranks? Whatever for? Was he really an Assassin? Or did he just Don the robes?

I understand that it might bring him good money and power, but as far as I know, power comes with a price, often a heavy one.

"…I have no love for Assassins, but even less for liars." He warned with a French accent, driving Edward to noiselessly swallow.

"I have not come to disappoint." Edward clarified as he fixed his alert posture.

The men moved back to the shooting range, choosing their firearms again and reloading them.

"Up for a little sport then? The old man isn't ready yet." Rogers suddenly offered as he handed him a pistol, Edward nodded in agreement while I just stood there and observed them.

"You know, Angeline, I encountered women younger than you who handled firearms like a real champ, wish to try?" Rogers suddenly spoke, it took some time till I realized he's talking to me, I looked up from the ground to view a gleaming pistol in front of my eyes. I stared at it while Rogers gave me a look of pure challenge; perhaps he mistook my previous behavior as a daring one, and wanted to lightly punish me that way.

"…No thank you, even if I shot the target correctly, someone will die anyway, don't ask me how." I refused gently, throwing in a jest to drive away his desire to see me fail, or literally kill someone.

"Oh come now, just one shot." He insisted, I mentally kicked myself for coming here in the first place, because frankly, I still didn't understand why I decided to tag alongside Edward, I had no business with the Governor, and they all obviously did, I'm not even sure if he'll appreciate his men letting a Brothel owner in, even if he knew her and knew her aunt too.

The gun kept glaring at me in response to the bright sun of Havana, while I swept through my thoughts like a bee in a flower field. I just wanted to go back to the Brothel, lock myself up, and stay there forever, it was much better than getting eventually locked up in jail for shooting someone.

I had no choice but to accept the gun from his grasp, silently praying to survive and have no casualties as well. Reminding myself to keep my nose in my business, and not somebody else's next time.

Edward and Julian were already firing away at the center targets, so I just took the one on the left and stood there.

Having no experience whatsoever with guns, and only watching their handling from afar, I mimicked the way I witnessed the guards holding their guns with. The gun was heavy, and it took both of my hands to hold it up.

I eyed the target with worry, a brown dummy that was held up by wooden posts behind it, I couldn't even see it correctly from this distance if I closed an eye shut, so I just took a chance and aimed at it with both eyes open, pulling the trigger.

The loud sound of the bullet rumbled across my ears as it traveled, it had harsh recoil and it pushed me aback, and I struggled to my feet.

Apparently, I missed the doll completely and shot a barrel instead, it spilled out sugar and I was left to embarrassedly stare at it, but not in disbelief, for I knew that this would happen, one way or another.

"Hmm, I'm guessing you're just not that kind of woman." A champ, eh? I could shoot a barrel open, so I could definitely shoot YOU open as well…. Well, not quite, it would take about 20 bullets... or more, that's about, 19 reloads, if I was correct? That was probably hard to get accustomed to, since I had no knowledge in reloading, let alone guns in whole.

"Duncan, you got my two best pairs of pistols, so handle them with care." He advised Edward as he shot me a negative glance, more or less mocking my outstanding ability, I pouted and sat the gun aside on the table, to the far right of my position.

For goodness' sake, I'm a damn woman, not a soldier.

"Don't worry, sire, if I had eight I'd treat each as my own son." He replied as he shot a bullet, the sound echoing around the walls.

"I once fought beside a man who carried nine on his body, they were a boom in battle but it hindered his ability to swim, sadly." Julian uttered with his usual drawl.

"Quite." Rogers answered simply as he tried his hand at the target, efficiently crippling a part of it in seconds.

"I long for the day where one firearm carries 4 bullets, and not the opposite." Julian declared with hope, my same wish, which led to my wondering if it could ever be possible, perhaps I could show Rogers that I could actually—

"I have a friend in England you may like to meet, James Puckle, he's working on something extraordinary" Rogers retorted, and I immediately arranged plans to find this 'James Puckle'.

They kept shooting away for a while, none of them missing a target or wasting a single bullet, and just as I noticed that the barrel I popped open stopped emptying on the ground, Rogers voiced a challenge to Edward.

"Enough amusements Duncan, how about a true challenge? Try to strike every target before this hourglass empties, remember to hit every target within the allotted time." He dared Edward as he commanded a man next to the table to flip an hourglass, Edward immediately went in motion and shot all the targets, all before the last grain of sand emptied itself downwards. His ability made me wonder about his occupation, not only now, but before this whole 'Duncan' craze. He didn't look like a mere soldier, and he never brandished the red or yellow the Spanish and English wore as unified colors, perhaps he was a sell-sword of some sorts? Maybe he was actually an Assassin… _Edward_, not what he's currently impersonating as.

As the firearm noises died down with the group's enthusiasm for practice, Julian instantaneously inquired Edward about what he called his 'wrist blades', I didn't know much about Assassins, the agreement that I signed with Torres was about the knowledge of Templars only.

But when he equipped Edward with two slightly familiar mechanisms from a chest filled to the brim with them, they led him to a training course to 'witness' his skills. I didn't read much about what power he could produce out of a piece metal attached to wrists, but when I saw what he was talking about, I was blown away.

He was instructed by Julian and Rogers to a collection of dolls strewn about the grounds, and when he neared them in whatever method they requested, two small daggers came out of his _very wrists_ with a cling. Witnessing how these blades work for the first time… very interesting stuff, moreover, very hard to comprehend, at least for someone as inexperienced with weapons as myself.

And when the demonstration of abilities died down as well, I was called by a guard to finally meet the Governor, I guessed that they wanted me to leave before they got into their secretive businesses, I assumed it was because I knew too much already, so I respected that and followed the guard closely behind, glancing towards Edward behind my shoulder, who was too busy conversing with Julian and Woodes to even notice my departure.

As I neared the arch that was followed by a set of stairs, I straightened my skirts and took a better posture as I walked. Walking down the stairs with the same difficulty as climbing them some time ago, I found the old man sitting on the far left of the beautiful flora-surrounded terrace.

"Padre Torres, una mujer ha pedido conocerte." (Sire Torres, a woman has asked to meet you). The guard announced my entrance, and Torres moved in his chair to give a quick look to the source of the possible annoyance that just happened.

"Umm, saludos, do you remember me, sir?" I tried my luck at Spanish, which I vowed to never repeat again when I pronounced it wrong.

"Ah, yes, Lady Angeline, Madam of 'El Burdel Rosa', welcome." I sighed in my mind, relieved because I wasn't going to get the boot if he hadn't recognized me, even though it hasn't been a very long time since we last met.

"Thank you, I'm just here to... Give my regards." I clarified modestly, trying to run away from the crap I got myself into.

"You have my thanks, anything else?" Phew, that was fast.

"No sire, I need to get going." I nearly supplicated.

"No, wait, you have to see this." He requested with his Spanish-infused accent, I shrugged and stood aside, just as Edward and the others made entered the scene.

"Grand master Torres, Mr. Duncan Walpole has arrived." Rogers announced as Edward and Julian descended the short set of stairs.

Torres aimed his gaze at the trio and retorted. "Si, you were expected one week ago.."

"Apologies governor. My ship was set upon by pirates. We were scuttled. I arrived only yesterday." _Yesterday my eye…_

"Unfortunate. Forgive my caution, but were you able to salvage from these pirates the items you promised me?" Torres questioned, apparently believing his false confessions.

"Yes sir, I was." Edward responded as he handed a palm-sized clear cube from one of his pouches, and even though it was bland, it was still beautiful.

"Increíble, the assassins have more resources than I had imagined but… not nearly enough to deter us." The Governor elucidated as he examined the cube in the light.

"It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Duncan, you are most welcome. Come gentlemen, we have much to discuss." He announced as he stored the cube again, turning to me, he gave me a look. "You can come too, you can be trusted." I nodded, and Edward gave me a confused glance as we all made our way to another semi-enclosed area.

As much as the special meeting went as I witnessed, I didn't pay a lot of attention to what was happening. Firstly, he fitted the three men each with a ring, naming them as Templars. He didn't even spare me a glance as I stood aside and watched the whole thing unfold, I wasn't a Templar, I was somewhat a captive, just one not behind bars, eating stale bread and drinking contaminated water every morning.

But it meant living in fear, knowing that you might breathe out the wrong words in the wrong time, and as much as I overlooked it when I was sitting with my girls inside my Brothel, or just going about the city, it was still around my mind.

Next, they moved to a map laid out on the table and began plotting whatever they sought after, that's when I completely went out of attention and simply watched Edward as he slyly relived the Templars of their coin purses. Being a woman who didn't have much love for Templars, only forced respect…

I didn't tell a soul.

* * *

**What did you guys think? Is it too long? Too detailed? Too boring? Feel free to submit your critique, it will really help me evolve. :)**

**A well reviewed author = A Happy author = Faster chapters ;) Because really, this chapter took about 4 days of continuous work.**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter :3 Bai. **


	2. Chapter 2: Darkness Arises

**YAY, AN UPDATE! I had a full day to write this, so the process was really tiring and I feel like you guys won't like it. I really hope you do though *fingers crossed*, because this is where the plot begins (I'm not good at fillers sooo you'd find more action than not xD)**

**PS: While I was playing the game, I came across the word 'Adrift' TWICE, I'm pretty sure it's purely coincidental and I had that name pop into my mind randomly. :p**

**Thank you for everyone who followed/favorited and everyone who reviewed: Savage Kill , Oblivion's Creed , BreezeInMonochromeNight , MidsummersQueen , Sam , and a guest. You guys donno how much your feedback helps me along. :)**

**Sooo, updates will be a bit slow for a while after this one, because I still have a test I need to take care of, not to mention sorting out the plot some more, which could take a while, but don't worry, it will eventually come out.**

**Without further ado, here's the chapter. **

* * *

After their little get-together finally ended, they all decided to go down to the docks next morning, for a reason I didn't exactly pay attention to. So I just took my leave, and walked back unhurriedly to the Brothel, trying to forget everything I've done in my time back in the mansion.

I entered the main room through the front arch and plopped down on the nearest empty couch I could find, closing my eyes, I had nothing to think about, and nothing to do. When I said my farewells and departed, I didn't even spare Edward a final glance, because if I did, he would probably find me again, and possibly asking me about my connection to the Templars.

I don't know why I'm worrying myself with that, maybe because they would kill me if he eventually figures out the secrets I keep; I was completely sure he wasn't Duncan Walpole, he was Edward… but what Edward was, I didn't know.

What if he was an Assassin? A real Assassin? Maybe he didn't really convert into a Templar, maybe he's just tricking them into thinking he did, or maybe he'll pop out from a corner and slit their throats when they weren't looking…

I couldn't identify the source of my paranoia, let alone why I cared so much for the Templars, perhaps it's a natural driven sense to keep them alive, or else the remaining Templars will blame me one way or another, I'm pretty sure they would.

I opened my eyes, but my mind remained enclosed, I paid no heed to the women who were lounging idly on the lacy couches of the Brothel in my sight, none of them finding any men to entertain so early a day. I unsystematically remembered the flowers I left outside when I heard the commotion inside the Brothel; I looked down on my folded hands and decided it would be a much better case to _actually_ do something helpful today.

I strolled outdoors and walked closer to the flowerbeds I tended to yesterday, and I picked up the rag that had the now dry flowers inside, slightly crisped under the glaring sun. I sighed and got them inside anyway, walking to the kitchen. Dried flowers proved very helpful when it came to baths and blends and what not, they gave off this superior aroma that can't be matched by a normal, moist flower.

I began my work, plucking the petals of the flowers carefully, but before I finished my work, the most dreadful news of my life came crashing down to me, like a ceiling does on feeble survivors of a huge fire.

"Madam Angeline?" I heard a womanly voice call out; if I distinguish my girls well, I think it would be Clara, another fancy-women that obviously worked here.

"Right here, Clara!" I answered in a yell, not wanting to leave my work, since it slowly began to calm me down.

The arch to the kitchen was shortly occupied by my caller, she knocked at the door frame, and I looked over my shoulder at her appearance.

"Madam? Some courier is here to see you." She announced, I eyed her with a slight hint of curiosity, I had all kinds of thank-you letters and various salutation mails come to the Brothel every now and then, but on that day, I was terribly sure I recently haven't done anything that made me worthy of them, unlike the other times when I served a noble right, or went to a certain celebration that took part in a crowded mansion.

"Let him in." I commanded, still refusing to yank myself out of my 'artistic' work.

"He won't, I had asked him to." She explained, I sighed, knowing that it had to be done his way. I dropped the roses from my hands, and wiped the drop of blood that lingered on my finger with my handkerchief. I got it from a thorn I probably forgot to remove yesterday because of what happened.

I walked out to the front garden, and he immediately faced me, handing me a beige letter and beginning to leave.

"Wait, who is this from?" I stopped him in his tracks, perplexedly eyeing the letter.

"Well… he preferred to keep his identity a secret." He announced as he made a shrug to apologize, I lifted my eyes and let them travel to his, narrowing them to slits.

"How much would it cost to get you speaking? Three Thousand Reales? A night with one of my girls?" I offered half-jokingly, regretting the way I just regarded the women as, a payment.

"Sorry, nothing would." He countered as he made his way out of my garden, disappearing out of sight.

I sighed fleetingly and sat down on one of the benches that scattered among the beautiful garden, I briefly remembered the days where I had coconut juice with my aunt here as we listened to the birds chirping about, the breeze hitting our cheeks gently, as nothing mattered in the world but those moments.

_These were the days. _

I took a preparing breath and looked over the letter, it was sealed in red wax, but there was nothing imprinted on the seal, which was a bit odd, considering that I have always witnessed red wax seals having a kind of _mark_, I'm guessing these guys really wanted a sense of privacy, which was beginning to feel a bit creepy.

I undid the seal with an audible pop, and straightened the letter open.

**_My Dear Angeline_**

**_Or any of her connections that is permitted to view this letter._**

**_I have to bring to your attention that the Brothel 'El Burdel Rosa' is rightfully inherited by someone other than your position; Catherine Jacobs was the equitable owner of' El Burde Rosa' until she unfortunately met her demise. And I have recently learned that the correct procedures after her departure weren't taken._**

**_The true heritage belongs to your sister, Ellen Jacobs, or what she currently calls herself, 'Rebecca'._**

**_Please hand the Brothel to your superior as soon as possible, as it's unlawful to betray the demands of the regulation in which promises the heirloom to the older child. _**

**_Yours Sincerely._**

**_Your father._**

**_Side Note: Do not look for me or my name, but I shall be watching you from afar._**

I stared at the seemingly innocent piece of paper for what seemed like decades…. centuries even, but the realization came after, hitting me like a horse cart on full speed. Like I just gotten myself in the midst of the ocean, my breath ending, I'm sinking, I'm drifting.

Like my very reason of life was just crushed in front of my eyes, the years I've lived so far has all led to an assembly of lies that you couldn't recognize easily, as the very strings of safety and belief wraps around you, lying that everything is right, and everything is true, and everything is meant to be.

My hands went numb, my legs went frozen, and my eyes stared at the words itched into the letter for a time I didn't feel, trying to know if I had too much drink I didn't realize I had passed into my system, or maybe it's the effect for staying up at night… maybe it's because the weather held a certain mind-tricking effect?

At the heart of my unawareness, I felt a hand tug my shoulder, shaking it repeatedly, but my body never responding.

And then another hand, and then another, all coming from a different place, I couldn't perceive if I was imagining things or if it was something that happened for real, just that I was too numbed, too drugged to feel it.

_"Your father…" _

That's how he contacts me after all these years, after those years that I've wondered if I had a father, or a mother, or anything else to call family. Oh but I did, I had a father and a _sister_.

_Rebecca._

That's why her hair color matched mine perfectly, that's why she slapped her mouth shut when she cursed like me, that's why she was as over-protective as a shield, but as delicate as she can be, _that's why she was like me._

That's why she claimed that she knew nothing of her history; I used to call it _the freedom of privacy_, but now? I guess all freedoms in the world mixed together won't make it up to this.

That's why she had a natural talent of running the place when I was out, that's why she cared about my health like she was family, that's why she wanted me to be happy when I was bluer than the skies.

But why? Why hadn't she mentioned this before? Did she wait for this moment? Did she wait for my life to crumble before my eyes? For calling every step I've taken a _false one_?

_"Ange!? Angeline! What's happened?" _A faint voice called, I couldn't hear it well. I felt numb all over, as emotionless as I can ever be.

"_Take the letter from her hands, maybe it's about it?" _ Another voice was heard, but I felt nothing, saw nothing, smelled nothing.

"_You think?" _That voice again, and I felt a hand tug on an object inside my hand, an object that it seemed I have long-forgotten, an object that held everything that defined my real life.

And in one millisecond, I felt life come back to my limbs.

"LEAVE IT!" I bellowed suddenly, doubting that the words came out of my mouth.

"Okay, okay, what is it about? What's wrong with you?" My mind grasped the questions and tried phrasing a correct answer, and after many seconds of silence, I_ accurately_ figured out what to say.

"Rebecca is my sister." I openly blurted out, finally noticing about three girls surrounding me, the dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"Rebecca is what?" A girl that I silently perceived as Jane asked me, I reassured the same thing.

"Rebecca is my sister, she owns this place, and she's my elder, this place…. Isn't mine." I explained in an oddly peaceful tone, more to myself than the ears that encircled me.

"Her real name is Ellen, Ellen Jacobs, sister of Angeline Jacobs, Niece of Catherine Jacobs, and daughter of an unknown man." I explained mysteriously, still finding that the words that came out of my mouth sounded too… revised.

"Oh Jaysus, are you serious?" Another girl asked, an overwhelming air of disbelief surrounding her voice.

"Bring her to me." I ignored her and ordered determinedly, unsure of the things I'm about to say to her, because I didn't even recover from the news yet.

After a while that seemed short in comparison to the time I took reading the letter, she made her way out of the Brothel, immediately finding her way to me.

And when she reached my place on the bench, she just stood there, I eyed her with a mix of distrust and pain. Not really knowing what else to do, I handed her the letter.

She grabbed the letter and let her gaze travel across it, her eyes narrowing every while and then. And when she was done, she peered over at me from behind the paper, her eyes saying many things all at once; they had a curve of sadness, maybe apology, perhaps guilt?

"Oh lord… Ange, I'm sorry you had to see this." She apologized sadly; I stared at her for a couple of moments, before finally exploding.

"ARE YOU JOKING? You are all liars! You lied to me!" I snapped at her, startling her and making her jump slightly in her place.

"I did it because I had to.." She tried to explain, observing the expected tantrum I was throwing.

"What do you mean you had to?! Did you have to give me a life that isn't mine? To work in a place I despised at a profession that lacks dignity?!" I roared at her again, feeling my eyes well up with hot tears.

"I gave you a chance!" She countered, her eyes finally coloring with a hostile touch.

"What chance? A chance that made me something I'm not?! I would've left this shithole ages ago if I didn't have the Brothel tied to my chest!" I continued, not really trying to understand her answers, just letting it all out, letting out all the hatred, all the pain that collided upon itself for so many years, the weight of all the knowledge I've grasped about _them_, everything that ever troubled me for so long…

"Think about it! You were young when I arrived here; I still recall your face when I found you! All busy with this Brothel of yours." She continued.

"It's yours, not mine." I muttered bitterly, not realizing where her responses led.

"But I didn't want it for my own." She remained calm as she said that, eyeing me with rebuke.

"Why not?" I questioned, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

"Because… because I wanted to give you something to live for…" She gazed at me with glossy eyes, ones that were about to erupt with tears.

_Silence._

"Come on woman, can't you see? I had enough life back in England; I wanted to give a life to you." She continued her clarification, leaving me in pieces, fragments that all worked together to listen to her.

"I was seventeen when I came here, but you… you left England as a baby."

"Why?" I asked simply, my voice raw and my tears ready to fall.

"I can't tell you, it's a secret. But I'll tell you this... Our plan somewhat failed, not fully... But it still didn't achieve what we desired." She told me, the pain evident in her eyes for a reason I couldn't pinpoint.

"What whom desired? What plan?!" I howled, still not understanding the mystery of her statements.

"You'll know, Angeline, very soon perhaps, but you'll know." She gave me a vague answer and turned to the girls who were around us, watching the exchange as confusedly as I did.

"Go indoors if you may, I have to speak to her in private." She commanded them, and they complied shortly after, leaving me and her alone in a garden so colorful, that its beauty didn't match the tension in the air.

When they completed their departure in silence, she sat next to me on that very bench, and looked into my eyes as I stared elsewhere, anywhere but her eyes, perhaps the crowds as they appeared and disappeared behind the white fence, perhaps the birds as they flew in circles around the trees, perhaps the flowers as they danced in the wind… they all carried on with their lives, seemingly unaffected by the event that just took place, changing everything I believed forever.

"Ange, I'm sorry…" She breathed her apology weakly again, hissing afterwards for what seemed like weeping.

"I just… don't understand." I shrugged, feeling my own tears tugging at my tired eyes once more.

"Trust me, you don't want to, you know enough already." She murmured, lifting a hand to wipe the tear that sat still on her cheek.

"I'm tired of hearing that…" I answered as I got up from the bench, walking around in circles, still trying to wrap my head around the turn of events.

"Why didn't Catherine tell me?" I suddenly asked, hating that my aunt never mentioned anything, while she probably knew even more than Rebecca.

"We all wanted you to be safe, Ange, I changed my name for the sake of that. We didn't want you to remember anything from your life in England." She informed, the tears still streaming down her cheeks silently.

"Safe from what?" I asked the dreadful question again, feeling my stomach clench from the daunting uncertainty.

"Once again, I can't tell you." She muttered nonchalantly, which made my blood boil for some reason even I couldn't understand.

"That's all you've said since I've received this damned letter! Stop doing that!" I barked, the tears finally finding their path out of my eyes when I tried to blink them away, running hotly against my cheeks as I felt like smashing something to pieces.

"If I had a choice I would've told you!" She abruptly got up from the bench, bellowing towards me in a way that made matters worse.

"Oh really? Really?!" I felt like lambasting in her face again, but I thought against it as the sorrow hit my center again, reminding me of the ominous situation as it loomed around me.

What will I do now? I've got nothing else to live for. Even when I regarded the Brothel as my only means of bread and butter and a piece of mind, it still was a place I despised running and living in. And now, where I find no holes in the reality of the situation, holes I could climb into and disappear forever, I broke down and began whimpering in my place, gradually sinking down into the grassy ground, tears flooding my wounded expression without a care. I paid her no heed as she watched me in grief and regret, and I disregarded the fact that everyone could be hearing me cry.

I didn't care about anything anymore, I felt like nothing could make me feel better at that very moment, like my realm is decomposing rapidly, like the only means of survival was dying, slowly and painfully, never to be seen again.

"Ange, stop it." She said coolly but firmly, her demeanor slowly slipping away from the incident.

But I kept going, I felt lost in those very moments, like I was a nobody, plummeting deep into a sea of unknown.

Not knowing where I'm heading, just feeling like I was a body without a mind, without a spirit of my own. Just realizing that the thing I've worked for in my lifetime wasn't meant for me, the many days and nights I've prepared and practiced for when I was just a lass under the care of my aunt…. Is all a lie.

In the midst of all, several questions popped into my numb mind, separating me form the truth of this world, reminding me of the decisions I'd have to make sooner or later.

Who is my father? What is that thing that he was so scared of? The thing that drove him to lead his daughters away to their aunt?

And that plan Rebecca spoke about, will I ever know what it meant? What it really held beneath its fragile description?

And what will I do now?

Those questions roamed my mind rapidly, like a dog that ran away from his leash, leaving a chaotic mess behind.

I dazedly made my way indoors, ignoring my sister as she sniveled in indistinctness. I didn't spare a glance to the many eyes that fixed itself on my figure as I entered the main room. I directly walked to my bed chamber, finding in it the only escape from whatever power that caused the episode.

* * *

At night, a visitor that I'm not sure I expected entered the main room.

I paid no heed to anyone as I sank in my thoughts, staring down into a cup of herbal tea one of the girls made for me to calm my senses. So I certainly didn't notice his entrance that dazzled the girls around the main room.

"Oh my… came back for some more fun?" A question that provoked my curiosity was thrown across the room, after a gasp of surprise.

"No... Uh, not tonight lass, I have to be alert tomorrow." A very familiar voice answered, a whiff of air striding behind its owner's steps as he neared me.

I kept glowering at the tea, the mist of a daze still coming up at my sides.

"Angeline? Is that you?" The English voice spoke once more; it felt like it was out of a distant dream, a memory tugging me towards it.

When I looked up, I half-knowingly stared into a pair of dark blue eyes.

"What do you want, Edward?" I greeted impolitely, accidently revealing his name to those who scattered about the main room.

He narrowed his eyes and clenched his mouth when he heard my declaration; I shot him an apologetic glance while I prayed that no one heard me.

"No really, what do you want?" I asked again after I perceived him just standing there.

"Nothing, I just want a couple of answers." I gulped as I watched him plop down next to me on the soft couch, resting his arms over the top of it.

In preparation, I sucked in some jasmine-infused air, eyeing him with uneasiness.

"First of all, why do the Templars trust you so much?" He began, his first question being the one I dreaded he'd ask.

"Well… uh, that's private." I understood his curiosity, and he'd probably have the power over me if he offered me the coin I'd really need in my next days.

But still, I didn't know if I could just tell him the secret of my life in Havana. Not to mention that I had discovered my share of mysteries today already, and didn't want to meddle around secrets anymore… at least for now.

"Of course you'd say that… but still, you don't look like the sort that belongs among them, isn't that right?" His English accent asked me, a question that I began to ponder over in my mind, because frankly, I didn't know the answer myself.

They gave me a feeling of power that can't be granted easily, for instance, if the Brothel was still mine, it would be well-protected under their influence and authority.

"Why does this matter to you?" I asked him forthrightly, he twisted his gaze to meet mine; he contemplated his answer for a couple of seconds, and then answered with the same honesty that my question had.

"Just curious, Torres wouldn't let just about anyone to watch the meeting." He was right, but still, why was he so persistent on knowing the truth?

"I'd tell you later, 'Duncan', later…" I murmured, setting my gaze on the painting that hung over the far, soft wall.

Perhaps he knows more than I do, perhaps the secrets I currently hold from him are much less than what he had discovered of the Templars, after all, I watched his initiation yesterday, he's a Templar now, isn't he?

"Very well, whenever later may be." He stated and got up from beside me, shooting a wink at Victoria, who giggled bubbly and had her cheeks filled with a rosy color.

"I might visit this place later on, whenever the desire appears." He smirked at me and made his exit.

His entrance made me forget about what I've learned today only momentarily, and the feeling came back faster than a hurricane, tearing me apart from the inside, letting me know that I've got nothing left to do but to wait for my demise.

It's funny how my life took a turn to the worst, I was complaining about the strict routine I have gotten myself into when I took over the Brothel, but now, knowing that every single moment I've lived here is a never-ending lie, I didn't know how to act.

On the other hand, my sister _Ellen_, Rebecca, knew that I was living in a method that wasn't planned for me, she knew that she was the heir, and I've known her as the better leader, in the days when I gave her the key to the Brothel trustingly and made my way out to the world, not sparing a worried glance towards the Brothel when I departed.

In fact, my life before this disaster was a great one. There, I've said it. It might have been a continuous race to something that wasn't clear or known. A race that I had participated in for the lack of choices.

But at least I had safety, a name that is well-known in Havana, a sense of security that not many people had in these days. A sense that lets me sleep peacefully at night, nothing bothering me or jerking me awake, excluding the sounds that I have gotten accustomed to a long time ago.

And those very thoughts are what prevented me from detecting that the walls had ears.

* * *

I opened my eyes to the fresh sun looming over the horizon; I blinked the sleep away from my eyes as I tried to discover my whereabouts.

My eyes adjusted to the light, and I was faced with the closet of my bed-chamber.

I sighed, knowing that the dreams I had of leaving Havana to find another profession weren't real, at least for now.

I aimlessly made my way to the main room after dressing in a light toned gown and bodice, not wanting to dress in anything overcomplicated.

As I descended down the stairs, the first thing that met my eyes was Rebecca, relaxing on my armchair near the window.

I immediately felt a pang of guilt for what I had caused yesterday. Overnight; I tossed and turned thinking about her, and decided it wasn't her fault. After all, she was asked to protect me by claiming the Brothel as hers, but she just didn't, letting me have it as a technique to keep me sane.

And I realized that if she hadn't done that, I would've gone mad faster than a deer fleeing a jaguar, because even when I was busy, I was still struggling with the monotonous activities that I had to do to run the Brothel, boring me but somewhat occupying me.

"Rebecca?" I called out softly while I was nearing her, which made her lift her gaze from her folded hands to my saddened expression.

We stared at each other for a while, unsure of what to say, but our eyes speaking silently to each other, as a way of personal understanding we both noticed.

And even though the soundless conversation didn't need the vocal assistant, I still offered it.

"I'm sorry… I know that you had to do this, so I'm sorry for that." I apologized wholeheartedly, and I felt my brown eyes threaten me with tears, ones that I blinked away as I waited for her answer.

She didn't say anything, she only nodded in a considerate way, letting me know that it wasn't anyone's fault… maybe father's, but apparently, he too had an excuse for dumping us in the new world.

"…Ellen?" I called her by her real name; she nodded again, pressing her lips together in a manner that signaled the tears that might fall at any moment, which is what I felt as well.

"You deserve the Brothel better than me." I uttered stiffly, feeling a lump loom about my throat, and the tears stinging at my eyes once more.

"No Ange, I don't…" She nearly begged, a silent tear finally rolling out of her eye. She stood up hopelessly, treading the short distance that separated me from her.

"It belongs to you, it's your life. I can't take that away." She placed a hand on my cheek, and in her loving touch I seem to have found a fragment of memory carrying me over to England, in the arms of a woman with auburn hair and brown eyes just like mine.

"You must, you've read the letter. Father would kill us." I awoke from my brief trance and counseled her. I was mildly frightened of the man, and how he managed to monitor my every movement even though we were continents apart.

"…But"

"But nothing, Rebecca, we have to do this, and we'll do it _together_." And at that moment, I gave her a reassuring smile, wordlessly promising her of our plans, and how they may succeed.

Her eyes danced alight with what seemed like a glimmer of hope, shimmering across her features without phrasing that, but appearing as a simple hint of belief.

"Ange, you're my sister, I've always known that, and always kept it a secret. So I trust you, and trust we'd succeed, _together_." She breathed those words into my face, and I held on them for what seemed like an eternity. I felt the tears form in my eyes, and I threw my arms around her and hugged her close, she did the same as she murmured soft words of encouragement into my hair.

We held each other close till we became one, keeping a portion of our embrace to remember later, in the times where we might feel helpless, no one lending us a hand in our dark days.

We pulled away, and smiled at each other, knowing that we had much to do to transfer the ownership to Rebecca, and training her to be the best when the problems arise.

* * *

"…And add a bit of that" I instructed Rebecca gently, pointing at the rose-colored mixture that sat between an assortment of similar vibrant blends.

We were working in the kitchen, on a special counter that I designed especially, to keep the mixtures away from the food storage.

It didn't take a tremendously stressing amount of time to convert the ownership of the building, it just needed some business around the offices that handled buildings in Havana, and with the influence I remembered I still hold, regardless of owning the Brothel, it turned out to be a fairly short procedure.

And now, I was trying to teach her about the effects of different concoctions, which I made every few days or alike.

We also sat down and discussed how the business ledger worked, even though I knew she handled it better than me, the proof being the pages that neatly appeared after my outings, when she was the Madam in my absence.

It was a fairly uneventful day, relatively speaking. It was a much more peaceful day than yesterday, which was still bothering me when I didn't distract myself with something.

And now, the nighttime came along, the beautiful trees that were strewn about the garden whispering a soft rustle of their leaves, the breeze blowing lightly against the curtains that were fixed on the clean windows. And the calm rush of the crowd as they mingled in the streets of Havana, all mixing in harmony to produce a relaxing atmosphere.

But unfortunately, it was all ruined by a visit that would change my life forever more, dismantling me into pieces that have yet to heal from the previous event.

It all started as a frantic knock on the white door of the entrance, I had closed the Brothel for today in order to make the preparations that I had done earlier, wanting to have a short while of silence before we came back to business.

I hadn't even placed the warm candles in the garden, so I couldn't distinguish the shadows that lurked behind the door, when I tried viewing the knocker through the kitchen window.

With a sigh, I straightened my simple gown and shot a glance at Rebecca, taking my leave from her and making my way to the door, I twisted the handle and swung the door open nonchalantly, readying myself to say my practiced phrase for the night: 'Sorry, we aren't open today', and closing the door, leaving behind whatever drunkard that decided to get laid today.

But I was met with a perilous sight instead.

A group of men in dark yellow, five guards as I managed to notice, were standing with their weapons raised in front of my door.

At first, I thought that they too decided to pay a _visit_ to the Brothel; they're men after all, right? They have needs.

But the thing that a thin guard announced after a millisecond of debate, proved me wrong.

"Angeline Jacobs, you are under arrest by Governor Torres for betraying his commands." He spoke ever so calmly in his Spanish accent, and I felt the blood freeze in my veins, drawing out the color from my once flushed face.

"….What?" Was the first thing my mind told me to utter, I couldn't really breath from the scene that was before me, the muskets in the hands of a couple of guards staring at me with their gleaming bayonets.

"I said you are under arrest, give yourself willingly or die." He voiced again, holding out a rope that would tie around my wrists in a few moments.

"For what?!" I suddenly inquired loudly, disbelieving what I was hearing.

"For not revealing that Duncan Walpole is an impersonator!" He answered firmly, and I was left to stare at his serious expression with a feeling I couldn't possibly describe.

They wanted me to be a snitch? Wanted me to report whatever I see? To betray a man that hasn't done anything to me? To turn into someone like them?

My jaw hung open as I thought about the dire situations that recently entered my life, I was getting arrested because of Edward, because I didn't give a damn to report that he isn't what they think he is, but then again, nobody ever told me that I should do it.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" I snapped at the infuriating circumstances, I thought the Governor trusted me with his life, I thought that I held far too many secrets, and I couldn't simply be locked up, for fear that their secrets might spill into the world. Maybe they wouldn't do it for our simple agreement that was based on utter trust and faith, a contract we signed many years ago.

But maybe, just maybe, this is the same exact reason that they wanted me locked up for. Maybe they were getting rid of me, because I simply knew too much for my own good. They wanted an end to the secrets I hold; they wanted to bury them with me, to lose them underground with my corpse.

But what really provoked them was… not telling on Edward. When he arrived to the Brothel the night before, and asked me about my 'association' with the Templars, I did what's right by not telling him, but I was oh-so blinded, and I failed to remember that the Templars had eyes and ears everywhere.

They probably have tailed him since the moment he exited the Governor's mansion, perhaps to test the validity of his betrayal of the Assassins. And on their duty, they tracked him down to the Brothel, the Brothel that was once mine.

I couldn't say it was his fault, for it wasn't his fault that they wanted me to be a blabbermouth, because if I had complied, he would be locked up now, ready to be executed. And what an ass I would be if I had tricked the man that was basically harmless to me, even if he's driven by his own selfish desires.

Because honestly, if I had done what they asked for, it would be for my own self-centered reasons as well.

So now, I'll probably get locked up and killed because I didn't let someone else get locked up and killed. It was because of my over-protective nature, shielding anyone because I didn't want them to suffer the way I did.

All these thoughts swarmed around my head as the guard pushed me towards making a decision: Being shot down right on the spot, or quietly answering their commands.

I looked behind my shoulders and I noticed Rebecca newly gawking at the scene, the stun written across her features… perhaps a mix of skepticism, disbelief, confusion.

I mouthed an apology to her; I wished I had told her before of my affiliation with the Templars, she could've understood what's happening right now, the raw misunderstanding spreading through her delicate features that were comparable to mine.

Perhaps I could clarify to her that I wasn't a criminal, I wasn't a killer, I wasn't a thief, I wasn't anything that she was considering I was. I was a keeper of secrets, a keeper that was called a betrayer, but she was betrayed instead.

It all happened in slow-motion, mere moments filled with inertness, with a cloud of uncertainty, and maybe a clue of mistrust.

The pot she had unknowingly bought along when she wanted to investigate, a wooden ladle still wedged inside it, dropped from her gentle hands, falling to the marble flooring of the Brothel and diminishing to pieces that filled the floor, the sweet smelling mixture we had prepared together spilling slowly.

"….Ange?" She whispered; the pot that broke on the floor overlooked by her brown eyes, the same eyes that were stuck to the guards that stood behind the doorframe.

I was frozen in place by an unknown power, disabling my every attempt to run to her arms, to tell her that it it's nothing like it seemed.

The tears of agony streamed down her face next, putting her hands over her mouth as her legs quivered beneath her. I'd never forget her expression as her eyes accused me of disloyalty, of breaking a promise that we had agreed on not-so long ago…

_'Together.'_

I promised her we'd succeed over the difficulties that we might face, that what had happened is the start of something new, the start of sisterly relationship that would last throughout the years. We'll manage to solve everything that hinders our way, but only if we work _together_.

My eyes tried to produce the tears of suffering, but my numb state prevented them from generating, and I stared at her with wide eyes, feeling my body turn into an empty husk, descending to a sensation that held a new, but recently familiar color.

"Turn around and let me see your wrists!" The guard spoke once more, pulling me out from my thoughts and startling me, making the time flow normally again.

With no other choice but death, I turned around, facing my sister as she watched me with horror, tears gushing down her cheeks. I felt the touch of the rope encircle my wrists, but just before the guard tied it, I took a chance.

I turned around abruptly, forcing him to release the rope as it dropped away from my wrists, I pushed through the group of guards as hastily as I could, trying to forget that they had guns on them that would kill me in seconds. I didn't even exit the garden when I was assaulted from behind, knocked down into the ground with something on top of me, squeezing the life out of me, I immediately regretted my rash behavior, that would probably put everyone around me in danger.

The weight was lifted from my back, a hand grasping my arm unbendingly as it twisted me around, when I was laying on my back, my eyes trying to take in whatever is happening, I was attacked by a fist to the cheek that bobbed my head to the side, almost breaking my neck and jaw. A pair of hands grabbed me from the collar of my gown and pushed me back into the ground, hitting the back of my head and making my vision blur out.

The acute pain was throbbing through my head, and through the hit on my cheekbone that is probably already bruising. I heard a scream in the shape of my name, produced by a feminine source that seemed so familiar, I grasped that sound as the last possible thing I might hear from its owner, and I felt myself slipping into darkness, losing my senses, one after the other.

Finally losing the very last twinkle of hope that decided to pop when I made that reckless decision of fleeing the scene, I heard a last whisper scolding me slowly.

_"Wrong decision" _

* * *

I opened my eyes to the sound of rain hitting wooden boards, and the sway of something I remember from my youth pulling me out of my slumber. My eyes met a ceiling of wood, a couple of robes hanging freely from it. I blinked my eyes wearily, trying to figure out where I was or what happened.

As I tried lifting myself with my elbows, I felt a chain around my wrists; it clanked loudly when I tried freeing my hands from it. When my attempts failed, I gave up and leaned on one elbow, using my legs to support me and lay me in a sitting position.

When I managed to do that, I was attacked by a sharp, throbbing pain in my head, and when I gasped from the discomfort, I felt my cheek stiffen, having a similar ache as my skull.

Then the events of yesterday came back to me when I surveyed my surroundings. I flinched in agony, not pain, when I pictured my sister's face once she spotted the guards standing behind that door.

I clamped my eyes shut, forbidding the tears from escaping and additionally obstructing my gaze, as it has already been stopped by the dim lightning of the place I was in.

My first reaction was to scream out for help, but I restricted myself when I considered the noise I would produce, and how irksome it might be for my captors, they would possibly kill me if I made any unnecessary racket.

I tried to steady my breathing and decided I should take a look around the room I was in, because it proved to be the only current solution for whatever mess I've gotten myself into.

My gaze struggled against the faint light that came from an almost-melted candle sitting on a desk in front of me; the chains that were securely wrapped around my wrists were bound to a metal hook in the wall, seemingly unfazed by my earlier repeated tries of loosening it.

The rest of the room was blocked by the desk and chair that overtook my view, but with the short distance the chain brandished, I moved further to the side of the desk, noticing the many odd supplies that were strewn about the enclosure.

From the continuous sickening sway that the room had, that proved too rough to be judged as my own vertigo, I assumed I'm aboard a ship.

But what ship exactly? And for whatever reason? I didn't know.

After what seemed like hours of waiting, I began to feel utterly claustrophobic, I had a problem with ships, perhaps evolved after the month or so I spent aboard when I was sent to Havana as a baby. They were just _frightening_, sailing freely, nothing but water around them, the firm land as far away from them as it could ever be.

I instinctively began calling for help, I didn't care if I was assaulted by an angry guard or one of my captors, I just wanted out of this ship as soon as possible.

"HELP! I'm in here! Let me out!" I cried out, banging the ground with my chained hands, trying to get anyone to notice me, I didn't even care if I would be _killed _because of my pleas. I just wanted to get out.

A door was suddenly opened, the desk immobilizing most of my view as I tried to gaze upon the intruder. I remained quieter than a church mouse, my banging on the damp, wooden ground discontinuing.

A guard wearing the yellow colors of the Spanish came up to view, holding a readied sword and immediately meeting my stare.

_"cállate! nadie va a salvarte!"_ He spoke with the language I knew nothing of; I froze in my place and gulped, praying that I'd somehow live to see my sister again.

And just like the skies were listening, my release came shortly after.

From my position, I noticed two men slowly sneaking towards the guard that kept his stare at me, I shivered in fear when I thought about the ways he could kill me with, but kept my gaze fixed at the familiar robes of a man that eventually made his way behind the guard.

And just as my gaze flicked up towards the guards eyes, I saw the life leave them as they rolled back in their sockets, not comprehending what just happened, I stared wide-eyed at the his form that slowly sank to the ground, an audible sound of blade tearing through skin was heard afterwards, and his corpse finally laid upon the floor in front of me, sitting in a spreading pool of dark crimson.

When I looked away from the unacquainted sight, still not quite grasping the fact that the guard's life was taken before my eyes, I was met by the same set of blue hues that lodged me in this situation in the first place.

_Edward._

In that moment, I didn't know if I should thank him or claw his eyes out for what he had done, millions of feelings swam around my head as I tried to realize everything, why he had just appeared out of nowhere, to save me from the thing that he caused anyway.

My first reaction was to assume he's an Angel, or maybe a Devil, or perhaps an extraordinary being.

But I dismissed those thoughts when logic finally tore through the false assumptions, telling me that he was probably found back in Havana, and locked up in the same ship that I was sealed in, a fact that he verified some time afterwards.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" I screamed at last, ignoring the fact that the guard's blood is nearly seeping through my gown that was sprawled across the ground.

"Saving your ass!" He spoke with his now-familiar accent, as he retrieved the sword the Spanish guard was holding moments ago.

"Back up from the chain." He commanded, I crawled away awkwardly from the half of the chain that was sitting under me. Edward raised the weapon high and waved it down, for a second, I thought he was ending my life, but it was another wrong supposition, as the blade cut the chain that was holding my wrists to the wall. My hands were freed from each other, my wrists throbbing with pain from the pressure, but Edward paid no heed to that as he lifted me up and threw me over his shoulder, leaving the choice to secure myself against him up to me.

I felt him run out into the open, the rain starting to drip on my back, and I let my stare travel to the entrance of the room that we just came out of, the quarterdeck was sitting right on top of it, the helm seemingly left by the captain. Apparently, I was locked in the captain's cabin; goodness only knows what the captain did to me while I was out.

The man that arrived with Edward suddenly spoke with a deep voice, "There's many prisoners held on these ships. Set them free, and they'll sail with us, no question."

"So that's the idea then? Free what men we can, then find a fast ship to flee in?" Edward replied, making me shiver from the plan that they were designing.

"Aye. There's a brig in this fleet. I'll make my way to it." The same man answered, making me wonder about the location of that brig, and how much trouble he's going to get himself into while getting there.

"Very well, could you take her while I fight through the fleet?" I heard Edward ask the guy, feeling the rumble in his chest from his speech. I gasped involuntarily, feeling my heartbeat increase from the news I have just heard.

"But of course, hand her over." A deeper voice answered, and I was thrown into another shoulder that had a chocolate tan.

"Climb aboard when I clear the deck..." I heard Edward's command to the man; he obeyed by moving behind a set of crates and waiting there, as I have managed to view from my weird position over his shoulder.

And when his footsteps over the wooden deck faded out, the guy that was holding me onto his shoulders put me down on the ground.

"What's happening? Where are we going?" I asked directly when I faced his expression, and even in my terror, I still noticed the yellow headband that he tied about his head, contrasting with his dark skin, and the odd marks that he had on his face.

"Can you swim, milady?" He asked coolly, I stared at him wearily for a few moments, hating the upcoming journey that we must make to flee the scene.

"Just a bit… but no way in this weather!" I answered truthfully, a frightened emotion twisting at the pit of my stomach. I had the natural swimming skill anyone would have living near the sea, but I was clearly not meant for swimming around the ocean in its wake. The waves audibly crashing against the hull of the ship being a petrifying proof of the sea's ferociousness.

"You have to try, or else you'll drown here." He somewhat encouraged me, but being in a gown and having barely enough ability in swimming to succeed, my hate for the idea was growing by the second, replaced by thoughts of death, and sinking to the depths of the ocean.

"Are you joking? I'll drown anyway!" I whined again, but he paid me no heed as he pulled me to my feet and tugged me towards the ship's railing. I noticed a guard lying on the ground to the far end of the ship, nearly drowning in pool of his own blood, much like the guard which Edward killed back at the Captain's quarters.

I ignored the sight and fixed my gaze on the waves crashing below. The blue aqua that was once a calming scene to my troubled being; now began to look like a monster, ready to swallow whatever unfortunate body that ends up between its vicious folds.

"Take a breath and jump, try to swim against the waves, we're aiming for the brig over there." He instructed and pointed to a ship north of here, the faint fog surrounding the horizon and making it problematic to spot the ship he was talking about.

"Hold your breath!" He commanded as he pulled me from my wrist, having no other choice, I took a long breath and held it, then dove into the unknown, my eyes closing impulsively to prevent the briny water from seeping into them.

I felt the cold water surround my frame, small bubbles forming around me and prickling me briefly, I fought my plummet and tried to swim to the surface, but I was attacked with another set of waves, pushing me down again. I felt my breath slowly ending, my unaccustomed lungs fighting for the last bit of oxygen. But then I felt a hand tugging mine upwards, and I inhaled lengthily when I reached the surface, the dry air meeting my face.

"Come on! We have to reach the brig on the right time!" A deep voice that I had heard shortly before beckoned me. I opened my eyes that instantly burned from the seawater, I tried wiping at them with my sleeve, but it was even damper than my whole body.

I felt the man's hand pull me through the water again; I struggled against the weight of my dress to keep up with his fast-paced swimming movement, my legs trying to kick the water away to generate a sort of power to fuel our movement.

We were attacked by yet another wave, he recovered from it easily, but I was pushed down underwater, my eyes not managing to close on time, and my arm slipping away from his hold. This time, I was able to reach the surface alone, trying to remember how to swim properly from my days at the beach.

This continued until we finally made our way to the brig, I nearly suffocated from swallowing that much seawater, but I managed to survive. Don't ask me how… because I certainly didn't know for myself.

He beckoned me to get a hold of the ship's hull, using the protruding wooden ledges, and I obeyed, getting a hold of the wooden ledge that looked like a built-in ladder towards the deck.

And then we heard Edward's command.

"Lay aboard, lads!" And with that, we climbed up to the deck, seeing many other sailors doing the same, he pulled me up when I reached the edge and he ran to the quarterdeck, seeing Edward already taking the helm.

"Save your singing for Davey Jones, you Jagabats! It's a hard wind coming!" The man suddenly bellowed, and I tried to fight the ship's swaying movement and to make my way to the quarterdeck.

And just as I finally arrived to the quarterdeck, getting a firm hold around its railing, I witnessed Edward commanding the crew.

"The man speaks true! You lot weigh anchor. As for the rest, half on the foremast and half at the main! Let's outrun this hurricane!" I swallowed at the word 'hurricane', I had noticed the lightning and thunder as they split the sky, but I didn't give it as much though as I should have.

"Are we going to make it?!" I asked Edward out of sheer terror, my medium length hair sticking to my face from its dampness, and my toes pressing into the wetted wooden ground of the quarterdeck, suddenly noticing that my footwear went missing through the storm.

"Of course we are lass, hang tight!" He answered my pitiful question, much to my appreciation. I grasped the railings harder as I sunk to the ground, basically wrapping my arms around it and sticking my face next to it.

The ship sailed deeper into the storm, facing the fleet and provoking them to shoot their cannons at us.

I held tighter to the railings, right when Edward called for cover. In those very moments of chaos, I regrated the day I had affiliated myself with the Templars in with all my might, hating where it led me. _I just wanted to live today._

"Keep watch on those galleons! See they don't give us trouble." Edward spoke again, twisting the wheel with all his might.

"They won't. Far too slow for this weather." The man next to him explained, holding on the railings faintly.

"Bark any orders you think wise, mate. We're up against it here!" He commanded shortly after, frantically trying to dodge the cannons that fired at us.

"These men know their place. They'll see us home." He elucidated once more.

And just as the sounds of the cannons were slowly dying down, another problem erupted from the sea.

"Look out man!" The man cautioned again, I pulled myself to my feet to take a look at whatever aggravated them more than what had happened already.

A sea devil was spiralling towards the ship, leaving destruction in its wake, the small ships already in its way separating to pieces.

"Oh god!" I cried, ducking down once more to hold tight.

"Waterspout! Steer clear of that thing!" The man warned sharply, staring at the freighting jet in preparation.

"I see it!" Edward announced simply, I wanted to roll my eyes at how much time it took him to notice it, but the desire died down when the ship swerved to the right, dodging the tornado.

A rogue wave came out to the ship from our left; and as much as I didn't want anything to do with it, Edward drove the ship RIGHT into the wave and shouted for cover. The water made its way to the deck, splashing everyone amongst it. I then screamed in horror, my knuckles turning white from pressing on the timber railings so hard.

And after what seemed like hours fighting the weather, the rain finally reduced into light sprinkles and the sea calmed its waves into a soft sway. Leaving a damp, warm atmosphere behind.

I breathed against the railings as I watched Edward rest his back against the wheel, smirking in success.

And the crew did the same, relieved because they all made it in one piece, not to mention getting away from the grasp of that fleet, and basically having a brig to their name, possibly filled with loot that could buy them some necessities until they find an occupation somewhere.

Edward got up, and walked to the railings on the left, meeting the man that led me to the ship. I tried my luck at standing up straight, but my knees shook under me, I limbed to the railings and supported myself against them, feeling seasick from the turmoil I've just experienced.

"By God, we pulled this one straight from the Teeth of Neptune..." Edward suddenly admitted, leading his voice towards the waves that had calmed down gradually.

"I'm Edward. Much thanks for your aid back there." He spoke to the man that had the same expression of accomplishment over his face.

"Adéwale." The man identified himself as he shook Edward's hand, and I memorized his name while observing the exchange.

"As for you lass, you already know my name, but I never caught yours." Edward stated to me, I eyed him wearily, but decided I owed him too much even though he was basically the cause for all this.

"Angeline." I informed, finding my voice raw from saltwater and screaming.

"Pleased to meet you" He smirked at me; I gave him a couple of nods and then fixed my gaze at the sea, never finding it so discouraging before.

"By God, she took some knocks, didn't she? I think I'll keep her." Edward spoke suddenly, laying his fingertips over the wooden railings of the nearly-destroyed ship.

"All hands aft, lads! We're taking this one home!" After a moment of well-earned silence, his command echoed through the deck as he moved back to the helm, his hands clutching the wheel.

I was left to stare at the wide ocean, wanting to know if it was the same ocean I sat by in the docks some days. Then my thoughts travelled back to my sister, and how she might be dead-worried about me right now.

And I also feared the voice in the back of my mind that said: _'She'll never forgive you for what she had seen'_, because there could be a grain of truth in that statement, and I would have to find somewhere else to live my life, away from her, away from my old life.

Because honestly? She's entitled to hate me right now.

* * *

**Nicely done throwing the OC into a problem after the other right? ;o ops...**

**Anyway, do you guys think Ange is a mary-sue? And also, what do you think would happen next? Leave a review and tell me what's up ^^**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter, it would come out in at least 8 days, more or ****much**** less.**


	3. Chapter 3: Decisions, Decisions

**Hey guys, sorry for the delay, I pulled myself away from everything I was supposed to do today just to continue this chapter, I wrote it over 2 days... so it might be a bit choppy at times, I was also struggling with a huge writer's block, and got a lot of headaches from trying to fix that block with my secret 'remedies' ;p**

**So, what I'm trying to say is... please be gentle :( I know that some of my thoughts are somewhat odd and illogical, but that is probably because the fic is big already, and it didn't even start yet.**

**BTW, I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter, I wanted to add a lot more, but thought it would be best to make choppy ideas shorter ._. sorry guys.**

**Thank you everyone for reviewing, Oblivion's Creed , BreezeInMonochromeNight , and NyaPowa.**

**Anyway, enjoy today's chapter I guess o.o **

* * *

Since the moment we fled the horrid scene, Edward decided to keep sailing, but I never knew his destination, and perhaps he didn't know either. All I knew was that I was as sick as a dog, the sounds of the ocean that was once a delicate melody to my ears, lulling me to sleep as I heard them near the docks, only powered the sickening sway of the ship that I wasn't so accustomed to.

And so I spent the rest of the day holding on the wooden railings and staring into the horizon, telling myself that I was safely on land, and I was just imagining that I was on a ship.

But sadly, it was the other way around.

Later, I asked Edward about his destination, and how much time we would be spending in the ocean and when we would be nearing land, but he ignored my interrogations and kept himself busy manning the helm, which I handled with extreme frustration, because in that moment, I had felt very offended indeed.

At this time, I should be sitting on my armchair, with a usual cup of steaming tea in my hand, listening to the sounds of the city coming to life, breathing in a whiff of jasmine-mixed air, and closing my eyes uncaringly. Not aboard a ship that I didn't know anything about.

And so after I gave up my questions and clutched the wooden railings again, the night started to descend before my eyes upon the glittering blues, the sun dipping behind the seemingly endless trail of water. But the crew tiredly kept going until I tried my luck at asking Edward to stop.

"Uhh, Edward?" I gambled, knowing that he'd be too fixated to even notice me behind him.

"…What?" He answered, his eyes still fixed on the crew that worked according to his demands.

"When do we stop?" I continued, narrowing my eyes because I had already regretted asking him, he would throw me overboard if I kept this going, even though he could've done it long ago when he saved me from the fleet.

"Depends, we need shallow water to anchor. We could also take night shifts, but that would be impossible for now, since we don't have enough men." He explained, and I tried to listen while holding on the railings of the quarterdeck.

"And what are we going to do then?" I asked again, looking over the horizon and noticing that land was nowhere in sight, it probably needed a heap more hours of continuous sailing to merely spot a faraway island.

"Probably keep going and hope for the best" He explained coolly, I looked at him in confusion.

"You mean… you leave the helm and just… keep the sails up?" I questioned, using the very narrow information I knew of seafaring.

"Aye, and hope for the best..." He repeated, he didn't even have to continue in order for me to understand what he meant, we could just crash into land that decided to pop in our way, or simply a ship that might blast us while we rest.

I sighed, trying to keep it together, I had the urge to hurl many times in this trip, but I just didn't, and refused any food or water that came my way instead.

And as the ship continued following the wind, my thoughts were carried another way instead, back to Havana, back to my _sister_, back to the many unanswered questions I'd have to explain if I get back… _when_ I get back.

The way I left her wasn't a very decent one; for once, I never explained my… _attachments_, to the Templars to anyone. I didn't think they would understand, because even I don't understand how I ended up in their business, one moment I'm serving a drunkard who came looking for a cheap whore to bed, and the next I was drowning secrets in my brain.. One after the other, until I didn't really understand what is true, and what is not.

"Edward, are you going to sail me back to Havana?" I asked out of the blue, wanting to hear a positive word come out of his mouth next.

"I… I'm not sure, I had Nassau in mind, but I think I will…" He answered, flinching and faltering through his words like he had remembered something that held a weight upon his shoulders.

But for now, he'd have to turn around and find his way to Havana, just to drop me off safely, and then we'll part ways, and he'll go back to anything he used to do before _this_ happened.

But his business would probably deal with things disconnected from the Templars, after what they probably did to him.

_Which leads me to ask…_

"What were you doing on that ship?" I asked him, watching his expression change briefly, and then relax again, possibly slipping behind a well-practiced attitude, prepared especially for lying.

"…Nothing." Was all that came out of his mouth after a long period of his silence, the only noise being the crew working in the night, and the waves still crushing softly upon the hull of the ship.

"Oh come on, I expected a better lie." I half-joked, eyeing him knowingly.

"Fine, I was captured by the Templars and thrown here." He said honestly, pressing his lips into a thin line.

"What is here?" I delved deeper into the untouched matter, finding the location to be unknown, almost… scaringly unknown.

"They apparently put us on the Treasure Fleet, Lass." He revealed, looking over the horizon as if he was remembering more details.

"….To Seville." He added.

"Seville? You're kidding me! That's what? A month of sailing?" I asked wide-eyed, if I had ever reached the old world again, and they decided to save my neck and keep my head from being chopped off at the block, I would go back to England, to perhaps sort out this mess that didn't happen too long ago.

"Aye, possibly more, depends on the situation." He added, his eyes never leaving the vast horizon.

"What was your crime?" I dared, giving him a death-glare that he most likely didn't notice, even though it burned the side of his skull.

"They… thought I let someone escape." He lied through his teeth, not willing to spare me a glance.

"Oh really?" I countered, gritting my teeth because he knew of what he had done, but didn't really voice it out.

"The question is, Miss Angeline, is why were _you_ sitting in that cabin?" He asked with a smug smirk, not giving me a chance to continue my debate.

"It's because of you!" I snapped suddenly, making Adéwale flinch silently by his side.

"…Me?" He questioned innocently, feigning the act of a harmless prisoner that was unrightfully locked up in a fleet.

"Yes! You! You were the one that set foot inside the Brothel that day! They probably tracked you down to it and blamed me for your lies!" I yelled, hitting the railings with my fits in fury.

"…But how did-"

"Don't you dare! I watched my sister lose her trust in me when they took me away! You couldn't keep yourself from impersonating someone? You couldn't just ignore the demanding questions in your head until a later day?!" I interrupted him, flinging a mistake after a mistake and framing him for them, trying to forget that I was just irritated, and his faults were because of inattention, not because he wanted to have me killed, unlike what I would have done if I had listened to the Templars' demands.

"In what right did they take you away?" He asked a question that left me in silence disregarding my anger. I ran a hand through my damp hair, taking a deep breath and trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't destroy me.

"Right of trust, let's leave it at that." He knew that the Templars trusted me, after the many years of me keeping their deep secrets; they know that any blunder from either side might break the delicate peace between us, and that is precisely what had happened.

He eyed me with a glint of disbelief, one that I had noted nervously. But then he relaxed, fixing his gaze back on the horizon, probably guessing why they had trusted me so much, using the information I gave away in my rage as an asset. I cursed under my breath, and then took a sharp breath, supposing that he'd find out sooner or later, after all, he looked the smart sort, knowing where to go and when to go.

It didn't require a genius to figure it out, I handle secrets, and I didn't give away a secret that might really be of benefit to the Templars, and that's why they wanted to bury me alive, to get rid of the danger that could travel towards them if I handled secrets again with such… recklessness.

But about the snitch part… I'll never give that kind of news to him; he'd kill me right on the spot, just like he killed that guard, right in front of my eyes.

I envisioned it happening over and over again, his eyes rolling back, the blood spewing from his mouth, his unmoving body lying pitifully in front of my feet. It wasn't a good thought, and it was an event I ignored from so many things happening all at once: The thunder roaring outside, the chain rattling around my skin, the sword pointed at my nose… and his silent arrival that made everything change.

I sighed again, passing my tongue over my lips that still had a salty taste to them, reminding me of my _little_ trip towards the brig.

I silently hoped that my time on this ship wasn't destined to be a disastrous one; but a safe, sunlit journey that would at least remind me of the simplicity of life as a Brothel owne-… worker.

* * *

"No, thank you." I dismissed the sailor who tried to serve me some dried meat the crew had found in the ship's galley.

Edward kept his word of keeping the ship sailing while we rested, it was about time that everyone had a couple of hours of shut eye, since we were sailing ever since the exhausting storm took place.

And again, I refused the plates of bland food that the crew called 'dinner', I didn't have that much of a feast back in the Brothel, but it was still no salty flesh with a sip of water.

And to think that sailors had to eat that daily… perhaps alongside some rum at night, when they are allowed to get drunk and have fun.

I decided to just stay on the deck of the ship and gaze into the stars, I tried going down to the lower-deck, but the crew were having the time of their lives with the Rum they had found in the hold, and I didn't want to further induce my nausea from the boozy aroma.

I sighed, feeling the sea breeze hitting my cheeks and driving my hair to fly about, and I was so indulged with the sensation, that I didn't notice a certain figure slowly nearing me.

"Angeline? What are you doing out here? All alone.." A familiar accent that reminded me of home spoke from behind me, I didn't feel like turning around to meet the blue eyes that I would surely find, or else my gaze alone could tell him about my role around the Templars.

"Can you hear me?" He asked again, I rolled my eyes and dared a look at him.

"What?" I said irritably, wanting to be left alone with my thoughts after a long day of disaster.

"I said why are you spending time up here?" He aimed the same question at me again. I rubbed my arms shiveringly, feeling the air to be cooler than it was before, but I tried not to show that it had affected me.

"Where will I spend time instead? Down with the crew where they'd probably persuade me into drinking liquor and then I'd wake up in the bed of someone?" I stated openly, not finding it the slightest bit amusing.

He snorted a while later and shook his head, moving beside me and taking a hold over the railings that got accustomed to my hands clutching them. In his silence and gaze upon the dark horizon, I noticed that if he had drunk Rum, it certainly wasn't a lot, he didn't look so stoned.

Which is… weird, probably because everybody aboard needed a way to vent and release stress, liquor being the only available choice right now.

The stillness that came afterwards reminded me of the peace I had in my Brothel; and how it all got taken away from my grasp because of what had happened. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, trying to especially understand its reason, since it wasn't very clear yet.

I couldn't just blame it on Edward, and I can't blame it on me. I wasn't ever told that I had to report things that happen in Havana, I was simply told to keep my mouth shut about the Templars' mysteries. While on the other hand, Edward's aim wasn't to rid me of my business, or to see me get hanged by the neck; his goals were of personal desires. And while he was perusing those desires, he crossed paths with me.

So chiefly, it was the Templars' fault.

"I forgive you, you know" I found myself uttering to him, biting my lower lip afterwards and wishing he was too preoccupied to notice my statement.

"For what?" He asked as he shot his eyes open, his expression still cool and still.

I cursed mentally, wanting to try my luck at repudiating that I had said anything, but his careful eyes watching me drove me to utter the truth.

"For being the reason of my imprisonment." I mumbled, my eyes travelling towards the vast, moonlit ocean.

He went silent for a while, scrutinizing my expression and the glint that shone in my eyes. He breathed a sigh and leaned deeper onto the railings.

"Aye." Was all I heard from his lips after, that word left me in a puzzled state, wanting to know if he was angry with me, or just not wanting to meddle about that subject.

We gazed into the night in companionable silence afterwards, the thoughts still swarming around my head uncomfortably as we did so. The noise from the lower deck penetrated the soft air every while and then, reminding me of the gathering that was happening below us, and silently noting that Edward ignored it all to come up to the main deck, his intentions unclear.

"So what made _you_ come up here? I heard they found Rum downstairs." I decided to question his behavior, busying myself with the texture of the timber railings to avoid his gaze.

He snorted and turned his head to mine, trying to grab my gaze that had stubbornly locked itself onto the railings beneath my hands.

"I'm here to show you where you would be spending the night." He said nonchalantly, I immediately raised my gaze to meet his, eyeing him skeptically because I knew I was the only woman aboard the ship.

"There, I'll sleep downstairs with the crew." He pointed at the captain's cabin that rested underneath the quarterdeck; I aimed a disbelieving glance his way.

"Really? So you'd giveaway the best cabin in the ship… for a woman?" I started aimlessly, scrunching my eyebrows together because I was still doubtful about his offer.

"Then you'd rather sleep in the crew's cabin? Where unfamiliar, drunken men share the same cabin? Suit yourself, lass." He spoke confidently, making my eyes widen as I backed away visibly from his suggestion.

"No way! Fine, I'll sleep in the captain's cabin." I wasn't sure why I had such a strong aversion towards the idea, since Edward was just being a gentleman, giving me some space and treating me like a guest.

"Very well, I'll wake you in the morning, I might have some business around the cabin you'd be staying in, and I don't want to disturb your beauty sleep." He concluded and strode towards the hatch; my offended stare burned holes in his back as he walked. And when he was gone, I began my way to the captain's cabin.

I stepped my way inside and I was greeted by a timeworn smell, a mix of dust, wood, and gunpowder. A desk was situated in the far end of the cabin, dreadfully reminding me of my time inside _another_ cabin. There were a lot of random materials lying about the room; barrels were strewn about shambolically, reducing the amount of space the room confined, a round table sat in the middle of the room, having a similar but larger appearance to the desk, maps messily thrown upon it.

I ignored the rest of the details for the time being and quickly found the bed, pushed smartly towards the left wall, next to the desk, the door clearly visible from its location.

I plopped down onto the bed with a huff, but immediately hated the idea of lying down on a bed that was used beforehand, by a man I don't know and undoubtedly won't ever know.

Sighing to myself, my eyes searched the room for any clean sheets that I might be able to use for the night, but the slumber that had touched my eyes the moment I sat down made that challenging. I closed my eyes and laid back into the bed, trying to ignore the fact that the pillow smelt like sweat and dirt—the musk of a man that is probably dead and currently spending his disintegration stage on the ocean floor.

I wrapped my arms around my frame, pulling my legs closer to me to make it up for the loss of heat I was experiencing, refusing to drape the dirty linens upon my trembling physique.

I squeezed my eyes shut until I felt tears seeping purposelessly out of my tired eyes, silently praying for a good night's sleep, to make it up for what I had experienced in the last few days.

But unfortunately, that wasn't meant to happen tonight.

* * *

_My eyes shot up to the blinding light of the sun, I blinked repeatedly, and tried to muster up some sight to examine the place I was in. But I only saw blue, lots and lots of blue, the gradual color of the vibrant skies staring back at me, silently mocking my inability to see, to feel, to know where I was thrown in._

_When I succeeded in lifting myself up, my gaze glowering away from the striking light, I saw the small buildings that were scattered among the dusty ground, folks coming in and out of them naturally. I blinked in disbelief, not understanding the surroundings I witnessed, but in the back of my mind, a small voice shouted to me with all its might._

_'You're in Havana' _

_I gasped with realization, staring at the passerby as their gazes never moved towards my frame; I suddenly noticed I was on the ground, wearing my favorite gown that I had saved for the most significant meetings._

_I stood up rigidly, my eyes darting around, trying to recognize a name or a building around me, one that might hold a place in my mind because of wandering around Havana so many times a day._

_The name 'El Burdel Rosa' was painted into a high sign, on a white building that was surrounded by vibrant flora, I found my legs automatically moving towards that place, my face too lost and stunned to generate an expression._

_I didn't even finish my approach to the familiar door of the structure when I noticed the door opening with a start; I narrowed my eyes in fear, trying to spot the person who had nearly broken the door down._

_My gaze was satisfied by the face of a woman who looked a lot like me, she had the same brown hair that had a golden glint to it in the sunlight, and the same dark eyes that were like piercing beads of confidence as it intimidated the beings around it._

_And in the midst of my examinations, I noticed that she was gravely looking at me, dark eyes freezing me in place, as she wordlessly made her way towards me, nearly gliding without a sound._

_When she came closer to me, I could notice it was the same girl that I had left in Havana some days ago, the tears still flowing on her cheek as her pained expression stared at me. _

_"Ange…" She uttered desperately, I didn't answer her, I didn't dare make a move. She called my name so frantically, but yet so firmly, that I didn't know her intents._

_"WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!" She suddenly roared in my face, making me scream in shock, backing away from her features that looked so horrifying, even under the unnatural light of the sun. _

_I clutched the wooden fence that was painted the same color as the construction that was in front of me, a color so innocent that it was strange seeing it together with such a terrifying event. _

_I closed my eyes when I felt her presence near me, gritting my teeth in fear as I sank to the ground, but before I felt her expected grasp around my frame, I felt the temperature change._

_I opened my eyes, and darkness met them, I wasn't gripping the fence anymore, and I felt like nothing was contained in this void but me. It's like shutting my eyes or opening them didn't matter so much, because I'd see the same hue of black either way._

_But then I noticed a light, perhaps more blinding than the one I have seen before, and it inched closer to me, I found myself taking an uncertain step back with each of its sure strides, it's gleam too inviting to overlook it's magnificence. _

_It raced towards me even faster, and then I stopped in my tracks, calling it an aimless attempt to try and get away from it. The first thing I noticed is its shining features; it held the same face that had haunted me in the previous scene._

_My sister, Rebecca, Ellen Jacobs._

_"Why didn't you tell me?" She spoke ever so softly, tears still streaming down her face as she tried to wipe them with her delicate fingers, I went speechless, I wanted to question her about the thing she was talking about, but I was too stunned to act, and instead stared at her as she wept, just like I did back in Havana, leaving her to gawp at my unmoving body as it laid on the well-kept grass of the garden, men in yellow surrounding me, taking me as hostage._

_She stopped crying all at once, and stared down at me with misty eyes, her lips spreading into a thin line, and her hands turning into fists._

_"I don't want to see your face around my Brothel anymore! You hear me?! I'll kill you if you come back!" Her voice echoed through the endless darkness, I swallowed and stared at her with indescribable horror, words never finding their way out of my mouth, as I stood weakly upon the ground._

_She marched the short distance between us and instantly pushed me with agony; I was pressed away from her, struggling to keep my footing upon the foreign, dark ground. But she rushed towards me again, pushing me harshly, this time, I fell back on the pitch-black, marble ground, which proved impossible to exist in the current setting. I watched the tears reappear on her delicate features._

_I wanted to tell her that I was innocent, that it was nothing but a trap set by the Templars to rid themselves of a woman who held their secrets, new and ancient. But I was too petrified to even swallow the lump that had formed in my throat; all I could do was watch her fall onto the same ground I was on, her hands covering her face as her wails reverberated through the unusual place. _

* * *

My eyes shot open, I felt the cold sweat around my neck before I had realized I was screaming.

I slapped a hand at my lips, blocking the noise that could wake the lower deck (but only those around it who were sober enough to stand).

I tried to regulate my breathing that went rigid inside the dream, running a hand through my hair and staring at the murky ceiling in dismay, I was horrified by the fact that I was still seeing the dream in front of my eyes, reminding me of its dreadfulness.

I stayed there for a while, closing my eyes and biting my finger, a hand still clutching my hair in fear. Luckily, no one decided to investigate the sound that came out above them, or else one of the sailors might throw me overboard, and I didn't want that.

The realization came to me swiftly afterwards, Rebecca's face lingering around my memory as vividly as it did inside the nightmare. Her words resounded through my head that was already pounding with pain.

_"I don't want to see your face around my Brothel anymore! You hear me? I'll kill you if you come back!" _

Tears shot at my eyes as my expression changed, I bit harder on my finger, tasting a salty flavor, repeating the fact that I was aboard a ship. The sway of the ocean slowly getting familiar to me, but still driving my body to radiate with nausea.

I thought back to the nightmares I randomly had when I was sleeping hungry or cold, they weren't as horrible as this one. I felt like if I had done what I was _exactly_ told not to do in the dream, I would actually die. No matter how much my logical sense told me otherwise, no matter how much my body longed towards the air of Havana, or the boring but innocuous tasks I had to do or arrange back in the Brothel, even though I had lost it as my property not many days ago.

But then I asked myself, what will I do when I get back? Spend the time in the Brothel as a worker? Wiping the ground and tending the garden? What else? Living aimlessly, not a coin to my name that I could spend in the way I liked, just like the necklace I had bought recklessly that still hung about my neck till this moment—unfazed by the events that had happened.

Rebecca was right about giving me a purpose in life, if I had witnessed life as I now see it long ago, I would have gone mad, and if I ever get back to the Brothel around this time, I would go mad anyway.

And I remembered her tortured voice once more, as she detailed her plans of killing me if I ever go back to Havana, which further intensified my terror of ever getting back to the place I've always called home.

But what will I do if I decided not to go back? Will I just pose as deadweight to the ship? Draining water and nibbling on the food? I would probably be thrown as shark bait before I even offer to… extend my stay.

The thoughts were too overwhelming, and I drifted in and out of sleep as the same thoughts roved around my mind, a nightmare after a nightmare attacking my sanity, and everything telling me not to go back to Havana.

* * *

"Angeline, up." A cool, confident voice tried to wake me from my doze, a shut-eye that I had desperately needed because of not having at least one full, completed hour of sleep, not to mention the reeking bed sheets that filled my nostrils with dust.

"Noo…" I mumbled feebly, pushing my face towards the pillow, overlooking the fact that it smelled like filthy ground.

"Yes, we're changing the course for Havana; it won't be long before you get back to your Brothel." My eyes shot open, and panic rose inside my chest, as well as sorrow for realizing I no longer kept a beautiful Brothel in the midst of Havana.

"NO! Don't change the course!" I shot up from the bed, nearly hitting Edward in the head but missing him by a few inches.

"What? Why?" He backed away slowly, sitting on the side of the bed, uncaring about its current state.

"Why? Why?!" I suddenly roared, but shut my mouth when I realized he actually didn't know why.

"Because... Because I don't own the Brothel anymore." I continued, noticing that he watched me indifferently, wanting to get a reason for my change of heart.

"But why?" He asked, hitting a personal subject that had me frowning, I threw my legs over the side of the bed, sitting in the same way he was, the only unwelcomed behavior around the air being his brief gaze upon my exposed legs, because of the dress rolling up in my movement, I hastily fixed it and stared at the papers dispersed among the surface of the desk in front of me.

"I can't say." I said simply, folding my hands on my lap and hoping this conversation would end tenderly, and not with the decision of tossing me towards the nearest island.

"Then what do you want me to do then?" And so the dreaded question came out of his mouth. Frankly, I hadn't the slightest idea if he was going to let me stay; I just had to come up with something that will keep me aboard, after all, I had to make some coin, or else I'll end up in a ditch, or otherwise, get back to Havana and have the same fate.

And boy was I wrong when I thought about suggesting something to him, because it was foolish enough to not consider how stubborn he could get, or how selfish he could be to get to his own goals. But what I had suggested gradually over the course of one week, carelessly wanting to flee my old life; drove my existence to take a full turn, towards the best or the worst? Perhaps both, perhaps neither, I don't know.

And I might never know either.

"Can I stay?" I began, staring nervously at my folded hands.

"Stay… where?" He questioned, staring blankly at my tense features.

"Here, aboard?" I tried again, swallowing anxiously because I spotted a change in his tone.

His silence that came after the question was deafening, it was an earsplitting stillness that wasn't very encouraging. I immediately regretted proposing my stay around here; he clearly had plans, dangerous plans, they probably involved being chased by the Templars or other foes around the sea. The ocean was clearly no place for a woman, especially one who never had a moment of exercise, unlike the times he obviously trained day and night in.

But to avert him from hurling me into the sea or planting a bullet in my skull, I decided to start an unforgiving decision.

"Okay…" I said loudly, resolutely getting up from the bed, feeling light-headed and hungry. I paced about, my eyes dropping towards the unfamiliar items that were spread around the cabin.

I tried to morph the words in my head, but that proved harder than killing a whale with your bare hands, and his impatient gaze upon my back wasn't much of a help.

"Look, I know that there is some type of rule around the seas, women aren't allowed on board, is that right?" I explained from my memory, presenting the facts that I heard in the times when I was around the docks.

He gave me a nod, and folded his hands knowingly, expecting to hear a long debate for the next hour or so.

"Okay, how about you ignore that, and I'll stay aboard helping around?" I offered, sounding more pathetic than I had imagined I would be, I desperately dared a glance behind my back, to find an amused Edward snorting in mock.

"And why would I do that? Look at you, lass, barely able to hold a gun straight." He ridiculed, alluding to Julian's little 'challenge'.

"You could teach me!" I offered in a pitiful tone, nearly on the verge of tears.

"Can't do that lass, I have enough business to attend to at the moment." He refused, shaking his head and eyeing me knowledgeably.

"But I have nowhere to go.." I uttered, more to myself than anyone who could hear me, I turned away from him to chew my finger, trying to evade the tears of frustration that threatened to escape.

"That's not my problem, if you don't want to get back to Havana; I'll drop you off at Nassau, alright?" It was his turn to offer, his voice drowning in confidence, unlike mine that could sound like a dying cat if I had dared to speak.

"No… not alright." I muttered stubbornly, feeling the tears finally fall hot on my cheek. I wept soundlessly in my position away from him, not desiring to further expose my weakness to him; after all, I'm a woman, I'm driven by my emotions at the most, and that is something I'd never be able to fix.

"Quit your sobbing, Angeline, you're better than this." It proved gravely impossible to hide anything from his senses, I sniffled in defeat and wiped at my cheek with my sleeve, now having an overpowering smell of the ocean rather than the Jasmine that had always adorned my clothing.

"I'm sorry, but do you know that I have nowhere to go now?" I asked him firmly, now facing him with dry cheeks and a serious glare. "You could've just left me to rot back in the cabin, which would've been a better end for me." I continued, driving him to roll his eyes and get up from the bed.

I watched him go straight to the exit, and as he neared me, I spotted a hint of guilt surrounding his air, like he knew he had something to do with my current condition – even though it might be very insignificant.

And when he departed from the cabin, I just had to follow, or else I would be lost within the assembly of sailors, none of them brandishing a familiar face.

He turned right and went up to the quarterdeck, nodding at Adéwale who had crossed his path and began following him.

Edward took hold of the helm calmly, and I leaned on the wooden railings just like yesterday, trying to forget our previous conversation and what it had transformed into.

Adéwale made his appearance, and Edward immediately spoke to him.

"I've made my choice, Adé. I'm calling her the Jackdaw, for a sly bird I loved as a child back in Swansea." He announced, staring proudly at the sunlit horizon.

"A dark little creature, no?" Adéwale soon answered, after a while of harmless silence. But for me, I didn't really care what something was named, whether it was named 'Black Death' or 'Cuddly Bunny', it didn't matter to me.

"Did it rub you wrong when I took this brig as my own?" Edward inquired concernedly, Adéwale had the right to be upset, I thought, because she wasn't Edward's ship anyway.

"It was the sort of rub I have learned to endure sailing among faces of such... fairness." He retorted, I silently agreed to his words, not wanting to lodge myself inside a discussion that it probably wasn't acceptable to meddle into.

"It's true; most of these men wouldn't accept you as a captain. So what fair role would complement such… unfairness?" Edward asked, awaiting the suggestion Adéwale might toss his way.

"I'll be your quartermaster. Nothing less." He answered; I nodded to Adéwale when his eyes met my gloomy figure, silently agreeing to that role.

"All right. And as quartermaster, have you any immediate counsel for this tyro captain?" Edward asked his new quartermaster, but I was immediately lost in my thoughts when the pair began discussing the ship's condition. I felt very weary, wanting to crash upon a bed and sleep infinitely.

But I had managed to pick up what Edward planned, he intended to anchor near land to find some supplies, since the crew wasted the lot of it yesterday… not that the ship had a lot to acquire in the hold, but it was enough to last us another week or so.

So he ordered the men to quicken the pace of the ship, and his eyes began searching for a proper place to stop. In my exhaustion, I still managed to see the islands that had appeared mysteriously through the night.

We kept sailing for about an hour; until his eyes finally picked up an island seemingly filled with flora, signalling the possibility of supplies that just await their taking.

And so after the ship anchored, he leapt off the wooden railings and swam to the shore, I watched him in idle silence as Adéwale approached me.

"Want to make yourself useful?" He offered, I nodded twice, wanting to prove beneficial to the ship, and perhaps to Edward.

"Follow me; you can help me in the hold." He spoke, and started his way towards the hatch.

* * *

"How about this?" I held a heavy flintlock pistol in my hands, and presented it to Adéwale, my eyes still trying to spot more firearms around the messy hold.

When Adéwale and I arrived at the ship's hold, Adé began to explain our business around it. Edward had asked for a firearm to fill the newly-crafted holster he'd probably get back with, so we scoured the hold for them.

And while I searched for the items we came for, I noticed that the hold barely held anything of value, the least thing I wanted to see was some new bed linens, ones that don't reek with alcohol and sweat, but sadly, my eyes were met with nothing but broken ornaments and torn garments, undoubtedly damaged from the storm.

"Alright, keep it with you and follow me please" He requested as he held a white box with his seemingly strong arms, I struggled with going after him when my vision refused to let go of its investigation around the hold.

The warm air hit our faces as we strode outside, Adé continued his way towards the captain's cabin entrance, and stopped there, laying the white box upon the wooden ground, and examining it closely.

"I hate guns." I stated freely when I came closer to him; he eyed me for a moment before giving me a friendly smile.

"Too much noise to handle?" He asked knowingly.

"It's not just that, it's just daunting that something so small could kill a man within seconds." I explained honestly, looking over the gun's texture as I spoke.

"Ah." He voiced simply and busied himself with the box that probably held bullets or gunpowder; I let my gaze travel to the crew relaxing about the ship, pointlessly hoping that it would be a sight I'll be seeing for a long while.

Shortly after, Edward appeared over the railings and climbed aboard, shaking his clothes clear of water. He treaded towards us, water splashing all around him and his wet hood dipping down onto his face.

"Ahoy Captain. Find what you need?" Adé greeted Edward when he reached us, lifting his gaze from the box.

"My needs and wants are oceans apart, mate. But I did fashion myself a new holster. All I need now is a pistol lie in it." He explained as he pointed towards the pistol in my hands, I hesitated before passing it to Edward, its heavy weight upon my hands transferring into his hold.

"Hm. Little more than a blow-pipe... but it'll do." He uttered before hooking the pistol into a new holster, he aimed his gaze at Adéwale and spoke once more.

"So... are we rested? Or shall we idle a while longer?" He asked behind his shoulder as he made his way to the helm.

"Best weigh anchor, I think the crew is itching to reach civilization." Adé answered, following him close by.

"You'll find no civilization in Nassau. But it's a fine place to be merry all the same." Edward countered, taking a firm grasp around the wheel.

Great, if his decision remained the same, and he _actually_ did drop me off at Nassau, I wouldn't have any chance of receiving any coin, and I'll soon be begging in the streets, lacking any abilities that would assist me in getting my pockets full.

I hung tight to the railings and closed my eyes when I felt the ship moving again, hoping that somehow, for whatever reason might strike, I'd end up having a better life than the one I was currently expecting.

* * *

**Bit of a crappy chapter, but I think it's going averagely okay so far, I hope I can continue what I had in mind in the later chapters, since it's a bit obvious now ;)**

**Please await the next chapter, I think it would be better not promising a deadline, so just wait for it xD It shouldn't take very long. **


	4. Chapter 4: Don't leave me be

**I CAN'T BELIEVE I FINALLY MANAGED TO POST. *hyperventilating***

**Guys.. please don't hate me for taking this long, I have several excuses. I had to deal with the deaths of loved ones: My step-father, my close friend, and my cat. I also had finals to take care of, so I JUST had the time to research/write this chapter.**

IMPORTANT UPDATE:** remember when i had said this won't be a spinoff? Well guess what, This ****WILL**** be a slight spinoff :D I had spent about a day tying all the events together to match what I had come up with, so prepare for new stories, new characters, and a new plot ;p I'll also be changing the summery.**

**Okay, now on to the chapter, I noticed that the game handles time very poorly xD So I had made it a bit more realistic, hope that I don't offend some people who are strict on correct detail.**

**And this chapter is a bit short, i know, but it's the best I could do in my current condition xD I imagine more updates will happen this month, since I'll be free for a couple of weeks. **

**Furthermore, this story will first start with the main plot of the game, then eventually steer it's own way, so if you're bored with what's happening atm because you already know it, just wait until the spinoff comes up.. :P**

**Anyways, enjoy the chapter and don't be too harsh on the critique since I don't have a beta tester :p**

* * *

It's been too long since we've been at sea, far too long.

I have easily lost count for how many days I've been seeing the same shade of blue, but I guess it didn't really matter, since I'll be seeing land sooner than I had ever anticipated.

My time at the ship was spent doing completely nothing; I had stayed with Adéwale in the quarterdeck every time Edward anchored to check out an island he has spotted from afar. And to be frank, I didn't really care whether or not I get to spend my days doing nothing at all, isn't that all what I'll be doing once we arrive in Nassau?

It's been at least two months, two months of sleepless unease, two months of an internal struggle, two months of nonbeing.

Edward had wisely avoided any merchant ships that were almost begging to be raided, since we didn't have the crew or the equipment to meddle in such risky acts. At times, I believed he went in circles intentionally, but the general direction was probably North East, as I heard Adéwale saying.

In the haze of it all, at one night when I was trying to sleep, I managed to realize that I didn't have my bag of coin in my corset; it's probably sitting at the bottom of the ocean by now.

But strangely enough, I still had the Emerald necklace I had bought some time ago around my neck, seemingly unfazed by everything I've been through so far, not even a scratch on the clear looking gem.

Its beauty was… mesmerizing, I even felt a bit numb whenever I stared at the exotic gem nestled in between the silver plaits, I didn't really understand why, but I had eventually guessed it was because of the huge sum I've put into buying it.

When I began to lose my grasp upon the hands of time, I tried to busy myself by understanding how the crew worked, how they all responded to one voice, and had a rigid ability to work as one. When Edward spotted land, they would anchor in the shallow waters and await his return, occupying themselves with mundane tasks, such as cleaning the deck, or just chatting about, some even played cards when he took too long.

Sometimes, Edward ordered some of the men to row a boat towards whatever island he was on, and he would work alongside them to fill it with any abandoned cargo he could find, which in most cases, consisted of wood or rum. In some very rare cases, he brought along fruits the crew had helped him to pick, supplying the ship with the well-needed nourishment.

I could hear the bustle of the crew when they partied at night-time, or the shanties they had repeated over and over again all day long. I could nearly smell the sawdust from the carpenter's cabin as he worked on the wooden planks, I could even smell the gunpowder when the crew tested the cannons.

But all in all, I didn't completely realize what was going on around me, I mostly stayed below, reading a couple of old books I found in the captain's cabin. I could almost hear the sun calling out to me, almost begging me to bask in its light once more, but I had ignored its pleas, and soon, the dimness was becoming a familiar friend to me.

And after an endless wait, we finally spotted Nassau.

"Land in the Horizon, Cap'n!" A voice of a man on the deck above me tore me away from the books I was reading; I looked up tiredly, and eventually decided that it would be best if I got some fresh air, since we will probably dock in Nassau soon.

"That's Nassau, we're here." I heard Edward answer him while I made my way to the deck. I narrowed my eyes when I finally got out into the sun, having got accustomed to the darkness of the lower deck.

"Angeline, get ready, we would be anchoring in Nassau soon." Edward announced when he spotted me going towards the quarterdeck, I immediately felt a twinge of worry when I fully realized what was going to happen. Edward will leave me in Nassau, and I will probably spend my days looking for something to live for. I'm pretty sure he's not that stonehearted, but I guess he hasn't got any other choice, so in a way, I didn't really blame him, it was my idea to stay away from Havana in the first place.

"What are you going to do there?" I asked out of sheer curiosity, perhaps there are some hints I could use to make ends meet.

"I'm going to look for a crew, perhaps get some supplies..." He thought externally, staring at the land slowly growing in the horizon.

I sighed, fighting the urge to ask Edward of any help, since he's already done a lot.

"Do you… do you know of anywhere I could go to? Or say… work in?" I tried awkwardly, helplessly trying to avoid a frail tone.

"Not quite, but I'm aiming for the tavern as soon as we lay anchor."

"Alright, fair enough, let's see where this goes." I surrendered my hope of finding any clues that could help me along the way, and I simply took in the last bits of the sea that I could, guessing that I'd never be aboard a ship again.

* * *

The moment we laid anchor, we had heard a commotion going on the shore. It was a man with a relatively short black beard and wore a tricorne, shouting in the face of a guy wearing a red uniform.

"Go on, captain Queernabs! Tell me I'm under arrest, tell me!" We heard him shout from afar.

"Them your breds?" Adé inquired Edward, a hint of amusement floating about his voice.

"Fly away, Boyo! Back to your master!" Another man continued, motioning him away mockingly.

"Aye. We was Privateers together, before the Wars ended." He informed, and then aimed me a quick look.

"Shall we be off?" He offered, I immediately nodded and hurried next to him. "I'll meet you ashore" He specified to Adé and walked down the brow, I went close behind him.

* * *

"By God, you're a sight for salty eyes! Come you in and have a drink." A man welcomed us as we went up the steps towards the tavern, at a closer look; I realized he was the same one we saw ashore, shouting at some captain.

"Morning all." Edward greeted as he neared the man, receiving a tankard from the bearded man that had just appeared out of nowhere.

"Ahoy Kenway. Who's this?" He nodded at Adéwale and me; I frowned when his gaze lingered on me.

"This is Adéwalé, the Jackdaw's quartermaster" Edward introduced his quartermaster and patted his shoulder.

"Jackdaw?"

For a mere moment, I thought the bearded man was going to punch someone, but his expression soon softened and he began laughing scornfully.

"You named your bring after a poxy bird?!"

I lifted my brow at him, sure that he was too amused to notice. Unfortunately, the other man did.

"And who's that lovely lady?" The man next to him asked, aiming the question towards me than anyone else around.

"Well… I'm.." I went lost for words immediately. What could I tell him? 'I'm a prisoner he saved from the treasure fleet.' 'I'm a former Madam.' 'I came here for work'….they all didn't make any sense.

"She was seeking passage to Nassau, was living in Havana." Edward covered me hastily, moving on the next subject so that none could inquire any further.

"Adé, these lads are the better part of our growing confederacy here. Ed Thatch, Ben Hornigold, James Kidd." He pointed to each one of them respectively, I tried to memorize their names, for whatever need might strike.

"You let him carry a pistol, do ye?" Ben asked Edward in a natural tone, not caring if Adé heard him.

"Peace, Ben. Adé saved my life. And now we're looking for a crew to fill out the rest of my ship." He expressed his plan to Ben, and I moved closer to the bar, spotting a filled tankard, trying to isolate myself from whatever they spoke about.

I drained the first tankard in a couple of minutes, finding my throat parched from all the time either in the unforgiving sun, or the empty darkness.

I hadn't even noticed Adé leave my side and aim for the Jackdaw, just as Edward departed as well, heading for a place I didn't really try to know. All I needed to know was the depth of the tankard in my hands, and how much time it took me to drain it.

I was in my third tankard when I heard some music start, and people slowly started making their way into the tavern, sitting on the tables away from the bar or just standing around.

"Curses, you drink like a damn sailor." I heard a newly registered voice comment from beside me. I aimed a glare to whoever that decided to break my peace.

"I don't really care, I've seen things…" I said numbly, noting that the man in front of me was the bearded man, Thatch.

"Who taught you to drink like this?" He raised a brow at me, I dug deep inside my brain to generate a proper answer, but I didn't really understand his remark in the first place.

"…Drinking isn't a craft, mate." I emptied the next tankard, slapping it on the wooden counter and sighing.

"Some more?" A woman behind the bar asked me, I ignored the urge to glare at her sarcastically and nodded instead.

Just as Ben inched closer to the bar and started filling his tankard, the woman refilled mine.

"Leave the bottle." I ordered as I sank myself further into the drink.

"Already calling it a day I see?" She asked amusedly, leaving the bottle in front of me.

"Well… if you put it that way, I guess"

"What happened?" She asked normally, I didn't mistake her curiosity for something offensive, if I had seen a woman so lost in her rum, I'd ask the same thing.

"Everything, the correct question would be... What didn't happen?" I bit my lip, feeling the unpleasant feeling climbing back into me.

"I see, but it isn't the first time I hear such a thing." She shrugged, wiping the bar with a damp cloth.

"I see… hey, do you need help around the bar?" I tried; perhaps I'll find something that will provide me a good life in Nassau.

"You mean.. you want to work here? I'm not sure it's hiring right now, sorry. Unless you can sing?"

"What? No!" I said a bit too quickly, I knew nothing about singing, while girls like Victoria or even Jane had a voice of molten gold, mine sounded like a dying whale, which is what others confirmed when they had asked me to sing in a celebration once.

"Alright, sorry, that's all I have." She smiled apologetically, and then she looked up again and introduced herself. "Olivia." She nodded courteously at me.

"Angeline." I tried to return that smile even though I was in no condition to do so. I got back to the drink at hand when I noticed Ben eyeing me interestedly from afar.

"What's up with her, eh?" Ben teased with a laugh, moving to stand next to me.

"Most have had a rough day, leave 'er be." A thick accented voice that belonged to a young man dismissed Ben, standing in his place when he took his tankard away from the bar. _James Kidd._

"Hey, don't drink this swill; learn to know your rum." He inched closer to me and tore the tankard away from my hands, tipping all the rum away on the ground.

"Hey! I don't really care what I'm drinking, I just want to drink!" Even though the words came out of my mouth without my complete agreement or knowledge, they still had a hint of truth. I didn't really care what I'm drowning my sorrows in; I just want them to drown.

I've lost a Brothel, found a sister, was locked up in a fleet, and spent two months at sea doing nothing at all. I needed something to keep me sane.

And to be frank, drink was the only thing obtainable in moments such as these.

"Here, try this." He laid a filled tankard in front of me; I eyed it with skepticism, but ultimately decided to drink it down.

I didn't really notice the difference between the two, but it was drink, so who cares?

"Edward, you're back. Did you save them pirates?" My head didn't turn at the name, but instead, it shied away further into the tankard.

"Aye, assembled a good bunch."

"Now you'll want to sail somewhere rich with plunder…" Ben offered, and I began to drift away from their conversation, not wanting to bother with any nautical business in my current state.

Next thing I know, Kidd moved away from watching me drown in rum, and joined in their conversation.

And I didn't really feel anything but the tingle in the pit of my stomach until a bit later.

"Angeline? Is that you?" A hand was shaking my shoulder; I kept my head bowed down towards the bar.

"Umm, who's Angeline?" I tried to flee his upcoming questions, but sadly, the world had other plans.

"Hey, you're drinking…"

"No shit, yes I'm drinking, I'm tired of this… all this!" I snapped at him, feeling more courage than I had brandished when I asked to stay aboard.

"Alright, calm down lass, I'll find you something to do here."

"No, don't find me nothing, I don't want to start anew, do you have any idea how hard that will be?" In truth, I could only cook and mix fragrances, perhaps tend to the ledgers, but that was all I could do, I'm not so sure who would take such a useless woman as a worker.

And even if I had the opportunity to work, I would only find a job as a servant or a farmer, and I'm bad at both.

But judging from the frown upon his face, I had likely offended him with my sudden outbreak.

"Look, I haven't got anything else to live for, alright?" I explained feebly, looking back into the tankard that contained a calm mixture of yellow. I laid my arms on the bar and sighed in defeat, half-expecting to hear something from him.

"There's always something to live for."

"Maybe, but I see none of that right now. I had lost everything in so little time…." I sighed again, feeling unease building deep inside me. "I wish I could just… go back in time and fix it all."

"Sometimes, some things are impossible to happen, as much as we want them to." He almost spoke from experience, just like he witnessed similar events a time ago.

"Wise words, but they sound bitter." I noted, sparing a glance at his soft expressions, like he was lost in thought or reminisce.

"Reality is always like that, bitter… unforgiving."

"You sound like you've lost someone before…" I evoked carefully, curious enough to try and let him tell the story behind his current state. He stayed silent at that, probably because I hit a dangerous spot.

"Anyway, I don't think anyone would… wait a minute!" I suddenly had an idea that was more possible to dismiss than to accept, but I gambled anyway.

"You need a full crew right? Did you get a cook yet?!" I asked over enthusiastically, driving him to eye me with hesitance.

"No.. not really…" He tried, sounding less and less interested in whatever I was going to suggest.

"I've cooked for the Brothel in the days where we desired a group meal; I could be the ship's cook." I presented half-desperately, I didn't really want to spend the rest of my days in a place I didn't know the first thing about, and accompanying someone I knew was the first step towards the ease of mind… At least in this case.

"Angeline, I'm not so sure.."

"So you'd rather starve to death then? Or eat biscuits and salted meat for every journey?" I persuaded, trying to rediscover the skill I had acquired from haggling with customers.

"Ange... the sea is a rough place." He strained again, trying to escape my offer.

"Look if you just don't want me aboard, just say so! I just want a place to call home, and the Jackdaw seems to be a good one!" I explained further, I knew I had no right to force myself upon Edward and the Jackdaw, not to mention his crew, but he needed a cook anyway… Right? Right?

"Hey, I know I'm asking for that much, but it's the only thing available for me right now…" I nearly begged, my voice dripping with hope that he might agree. His eyes narrowed for a moment, trying to study the situation. "Please?"

"Alright, fine, you're lucky I didn't find an imprisoned cook." He finally agreed, and I felt my eyes widen in disbelief.

"Thank you thank you! I was hoping you'd say that!" I jumped slightly, a now uncommon smile stretching through my face. It didn't feel good to beg for a place among his crew, but it was much better than sticking around in some place where I couldn't possibly find anything else to do.

* * *

The remainder of the day was spent in supplying the ship; Edward firstly bought the basic supplements, such as gunpowder and a variety of tools for the ship's carpenter, which we handpicked among hammers, nails, adzes and saws. He had also insisted on buying a couple of maps and a telescope for the lookout. After I had nagged him for a while, he also bought a couple of books for my own amusement, a gesture that I had entirely respected.

When it was time to buy food supplies, the first thing that was in mind was water and rum, we bought water and rum barrels, enough that could last us a two months trip. As for solids, he bought hardtack, dried meat, and some dried beans. I had also asked him to bring bags of vegetables- even though they would spoil in about a week.

Once we were all set in, he paid for my drink and a room to stay in for the night, which was yet another kind move from him. The crew stayed at the Jackdaw because Ade wanted to find jobs for each one of them.

And when the morning came, he woke me up and drove me towards the beach, where we met Thatch and Hornigold relaxing about.

"Morning Kenway..." Thatch welcomed Edward with a very peaceful tone; he regarded me afterwards and looked like he wanted to comment on my appearance alongside Edward.

"She's the cook, don't start your squabbling." Edward aimed at both of us.

"Not a bad looking tinderbox you got there." Ben suddenly spoke to Edward; I nearly giggled at his comment, but bit my lip in hopes to suppress it.

"You sound a bit green, Hornigold. Is it envy? Because mine's bigger than yours?"

"Whaat?!" I found myself exploding into a fit of laughs, for a reason that wasn't very proper for a woman. I cleared my throat and apologized, earning a half-confused glare from Edward.

"No, I reckon it's this Jamaican funk. I prefer the Spanish stuff." Ben ignored me and continued, he might have said what he said, but all I heard was _'I didn't want a good ship anyway, nah, don't need one'_.

"So you've got yourself a fancy brig now… Fine. Well I'm going to teach you how to sail her right, and how to take a prize the proper way." He got up and announced to Edward, who nodded and went for the rowing boat.

"Thatch, we'll catch you up at the old fishing village." He barked again, and soon earned Thatch's agreement.

* * *

When we arrived at the Jackdaw, Edward immediately told Ade to lead me to the ship's galley, while he had a quick look at the crew and what jobs they had been assigned to.

Ade led me to a small cabin in the underdeck, he showed me the overhead cabinets and the sandbox oven, and also showed me how to light it. Then he informed me of the supplies' location, down in the hold.

My duties were simple, serve about a gallon of water to each member of the crew, spread through three portions throughout the day. Serve the crew hardtack and dried meat when I didn't have enough supplies or ideas. Or come up with a meal with what was provided in the hold. Since everything fresh will soon rot, we will either raid ships for more (which is the idea I didn't really like, but had agreed to nonetheless), or anchor at a nearby island to resupply.

And once everyone was ready, the ship began moving out of the bay, and in the last moments, I managed to learn that I had to remain below when raids took place, or if I was already on the upper deck, I would rush to get down, or risk meeting my end at the tip of a blade.

So there was nothing to do but wait in the underdeck, which was easy enough, right? I wasn't going to get into any fights, and I'm not going to be murdered by anyone.

Once I had settled down myself, I had paid a visit to the cabin next to the galley, which belonged to the ship's carpenter, Griffith.

"Hey... am I interrupting something?" I knocked and made my way in, I was always curious about the carpenter's duties.

"Not at all, come in, lass." He looked up from his work and smiled kindly, he was a mid-aged man with light brown hair and brown eyes to match.

"It's not so much I'd find a woman aboard." He noted in a polite manner.

"Yeah… it's a long story." I tried not to revisit what I've been through for the past two months, and I simply watched Griffith use a very familiar box of tools.

"Hey, are they good enough? The tools I mean." I asked, walking further into the cabin.

"Aye, the nails are stiff and the hammer is strong, did you pick them?"

"Yeah, we were looking for supplies and I had remembered to bring some tools, just in case." He smiled in thanks and got back to cutting some wooden planks.

"Does.. does it get boring around here?" I randomly asked, moving closer to the working table, and eyeing the sawdust I had smelled for a good while.

"Depends on what you do around here, people like the sailmakers usually didn't have much to do if the sails aren't damaged, but if they were damaged, they have a vital role." He explained, and I tried to push all the new information into my head, since I didn't know the slightest lick about ships.

"What about you? What is it that you do here?"

"Depends, since any ship consists of wood, there was a lot to be done. I'd repair masts, hatches, and the hull. I'd also be responsible for any leaks about the ship. It's too much to do alone, since they haven't found me a mate yet, but I hope they find one soon."

"And what about when the ship gets attacked, what happens then?" I asked with a tinge of worry clouding my voice.

"Just sit tight and hope nobody breaches below." He smiled at me again, and lifted the wooden plank to observe it.

"Oh joy, that would be the worst thing possible…"

"No, the worst thing would be sinking your ship in the middle of the ocean, let's hope we aren't that unfortunate."

"Right…" I drawled, I nodded at him and made my way back into the galley, sitting at the small wooden chair in the corner.

And before I knew it, I started hearing the sound of cannons firing outside, then the sound of the bell resounding on the upper deck. The ship kept moving around, making harsh turns that made some wooden plates fall out of the cabinet.

Even though my sanity told me to stay in my place, I made my way towards the carpenter's quarters, calling out for Griffith.

"Hey Griffith, we're being attacked!" I cried fearfully, opening the door to his cabin to meet his calm stare.

"Sit tight, Jaysus, it's alright."

"But... but what if some cannons managed to breach the hull?" I asked frantically, pacing in circles.

"Relax, they are probably aiming for some weak ship, such as a schooner, it wouldn't cause that much damage." He explained, which put me at ease for a short period of time, until I finally returned to the galley and heard the cannons again.

After a while, the cannons stopped shooting, and there was nothing but the sound of the waves and the shouts of the seamen on the deck. I had assumed that it had all ended, but that was confirmed as false when I heard the heavy footsteps on the deck above me, I could even see the men through the tiny cracks on the ceiling. And after a couple more shots, it was all still.

When some seamen arrived with supplies and headed towards the hold, I immediately sensed that the fight had ended, and the ship was raided.

"Hey, what happened out there?" I stopped a seaman as he passed my cabin.

"We attacked ourselves a schooner, a good haul from it if ya ask me." He continued his way towards the hold, and I decided to follow them to witness the supplies being stored away, perhaps I'd learn a thing or two.

Once I made my way there, I noticed that they have gotten rum and masts as booty, I wanted to search for some clothes to actually wear, because I wanted to get rid of the dress I was wearing for the last who knows when.

Edward had actually found some shirts and waistcoats among the cargo he'd find in islands he explored. But he found no breeches whatsoever, which made it impossible to use the tops alone, unless I wanted to feel exposed… So I had settled for a couple of beige gowns he had found as well, thanking whomever merchant that decided to ship them along.

And the next few hours were filled with more guns, more cannons, and more seamen transporting goods into the hold. And the more it happened, the less frightened I became from the whole idea.

When everything died down for a couple of hours, I had assumed that the raiding stopped for the day… or at least for the hour. I made my way to the upper deck and saw the crew working just like I had witnessed for two months.

"Hey Edward, you done for the day?!" I called out to him, shielding my eyes from the midday sun.

"Not really, just sailing towards Salt Key to sell some cargo." He explained from the quarterdeck, I managed to notice Ben next to him.

"When do we lay anchor?"

"An hour or so, depends on the wind." He clarified again; I nodded and turned my head towards the crew.

"Are you hungry lads?!" I barked, receiving ayes and nods from the crew. "It will be done in a couple of hours or so."

I made my way back to the galley, waiting until we eventually arrived at the destination.

When we did, I had asked a sailor to help me get some supplies from the hold, since I haven't had the time to figure out where everything was kept. When I had finally rounded up the dried beans we bought earlier, I soaked them and some salted meat to remove the excess salt. I soon served them to the crew with some grog.

And judging from what they had said earlier on, a good cook is a cook that could make food that wouldn't kill them, and my food didn't really do that, so in their eyes, I was a good cook. It was a really easy job to do, but I still missed the beautiful gardens that were lit-up by the warm candles, or the smell of jasmine that had stuck to the air for extended periods of time.

* * *

I stared at Edward, Thatch, and Ben as they stared at the Jackdaw, pointing at some parts and commenting about others.

Edward had already sold the extra cargo of Rum and clothes we had acquired recently, and then conversed with the Harbourmaster in Salt Key about strengthening the hull of the ship; it would probably take a day of work, which means we would be laying anchor in Salt Key for the night. I did not dare get ashore to explore the oddly welcoming island, but it was surely a beautiful view.

The workers soon completed half of the job, leaving the other half for tomorrow's morning. I had also served some hardtacks and water to the crew, and bumped into Edward as well, handing him a tankard of water. When he noticed my tired eyes that responded to the night-time that had descended a while back, he offered me the captain's cabin once more, even though I had refused politely, saying that the captain's cabin belonged to the captain. I had no other cabin to spend the night in, so I eventually retreated into his cabin, throwing myself upon the bed that reminded me of a certain nightmare.

Before I had the chance to think about the events of the day, sleep embraced my tired body.

* * *

**:OO She got into the Jackdaw! How... surprising! xD What will happen next? Await the next chapter.**

**Yeah, not much else to say, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please await very patiently for the next one, since I'm known to be a very lazy person at times.**

**Thank you for everyone who reviewed: creepbox , nere , Life Is Like An Hourglass .**

**REVIEW PLEASE :)**


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